In Petaling Jaya, west of Kuala Lumpur, a great urban development designed by Studio Nicoletti Associati is underway for the establishment of a new urban centre. As a landmark for this area, the developer wanted to host his onsite offices and sales showroom in an ‘iconic pavilion’ that would reflect the spirit and the architectural style of the whole development.

Natural water droplets were the inspiration for ‘The Pod’ pavilion structure creating a dynamic spherical form resulting in a primitive building archetype with a modern twist. The round and soft shape of The Pod is formed as a series of elliptical sections of variable widths and heights.

Slithers of window bring natural daylight into the spaces below. Internally the pavilion is divided into two parts: one zone dedicated to the office area and the other containing the main showroom. The building appears to be sliced diagonally into a series of ribbons which wrap up and over the building creating an animated space within, forming a layered protective shell.

The structure is fabricated from tubular steel members with the exterior skin made of spectrally reflective aluminium panels and the exterior skin shades change depending on the reflection of the sun. The Pod is surrounded by an area of greenery with a reflective water pool wrapping around the edges that will contribute to the bioclimatic behaviour and wellness of its inhabitants. The Pod Pavilion is slated for completion in December 2010.