The ‘Colour Palace’ by Pricegore with Yinka Ilori
‘Colour Palace’ © Adam Scot
Pricegore and Yinka Ilori’s ‘Colour Palace’ was intended as a celebration of colour, pattern and light, drawing upon both European and African cultural traditions in creating a design that could be relevant to, and representative of, multicultural London. Dutch wax prints on display in a Lagos market, and mirrored in London’s ‘Little Lagos’ in nearby Peckham, inspired the bold geometric pattern of the pavilion, which created a powerful contrast alongside the more sedate and Grade II* listed gallery building, designed by Sir John Soane. Each side of the timber louvres forming the façade was painted a different colour, which in turn creates shifting layers of pattern when viewed from different perspectives around the pavilion. Pricegore are an emerging architecture practice led by Dingle Price and Alex Gore, and are based close to the Dulwich Picture Gallery in Peckham, south east London. Yinka Ilori is a London-based artist of Nigerian heritage, who specialises in creating furniture and other pieces that blend Nigerian traditions with contemporary design. The partnership overcame fierce competition from a field of 150 entries to win the competition, which was judged by a panel of leading architectural and cultural figures including Tom Dyckhoff (writer and broadcaster), Mary Duggan (founder, Mary Duggan Architects) and Oliver Wainwright (architecture correspondent, The Guardian). Members of the public visiting the gallery in June 2018 were also given the opportunity to have their say on the shortlisted designs.
‘Colour Palace’ detail © Adam Scot
Afterlife 100% of the pavilion’s cladding and structural timber was recycled to make modular planters, designed through making sessions between architecture studio alma-nac and pupils at Dulwich Prep London. 150 planters were made from the pavilion structure and given to local schools and community partners. Participating schools included Kingsdale Foundation School, Pilgrims Way, Ark Walworth Academy, Dulwich College, Harris Primary Academy, Dulwich Prep London, Hollydale Primary School, John Donne Primary School, Dulwich Village Infants and Goose Green Primary School.
