Sprouts

Floating Pavilion
2019
Amsterdam, Netherlands

In collaboration with Laura-India Garinois

Awarded the Editor’s Choice Award by Switch
Featured in  POOL Magazine Issue n.7: Float





Sprouts is a floating pavilion designed for the central pond in Vondelpark, Amsterdam. As spring arrives and flowers begin to bloom, visitors are invited to stride onto the pavilion, where a variety of flowers, grasses and small shrubs create a soft, labyrinthian experience for a walk, a spot to contemplate or listen to music, or a place for a picnic with friends. Inspired by houseboats in the Amsterdam Canals, Sprouts extends the usable square footage of the park by placing the pavilion on water, dissolving the boundaries between the natural and built environment.

The pavilion takes shape through the reuse of mulch produced from trees felled annually in the park as part of Amsterdam’s urban forestry program. This mulch is molded into cylindrical forms that transform over time into mycelium foam, a biodegradable material modeled after the proportions of disused oil barrels. These foam cylinders are aggregated and floated onto the pond, gradually decomposing and fostering plant and animal life. Over its lifecycle, the pavilion evolves into a permanent artificial island, seamlessly integrating with the pond’s ecosystem. With an emphasis on minimizing industrial materials, Sprouts is an intervention that enhances both the ecological and experiential qualities of the park.



Plan over time
Sprouts in its later stages of growth





Sprouts in its first growth

Sectional transformation over time




Liam Martin



A designer in Brooklyn, New York