Rolling Structure - OMA's Prada Transformer

Rolling Structure - OMA's Prada Transformer

by Victoria Shingleton

OMA's Prada Transformer, located in Seoul, Korea caught my eye because it reminded me of a toy.  The versatility of the structure designed by Rem Koolhaas with Kunle Adeyemi and Alexander Reichert is similar to that of a dice which you roll in a game (especially the pentagonal alphabet dice) or a Rubix cube, having each side different.  The structure, constructed with the four-sided frame of a triangular prism, just seemed as if it was calling out for me to roll it and change the space.

The Prada Transformer is a tetrahedron with four distinct shapes making up the solid walls.  A rectangular, hexagon, cruciform, and circle are all arranged within a large triangle divided into four smaller triangles, so that when you fold the sides up, a different shape is visible on each side.

The structure was designed so that it could be rotated and provide a unique atmosphere for a variety of different events.  OMA specified a rotation for fashion, art, cinema, and special events.  By simply rotating the structure, it gives a new characteristic for the different needs of Prada.  Adding to its versatility, the walls are constructed of a steel frame and the facade can be easily changed.  The walls become the floor and the floors become the wall as the 20-meter structure is flipped by three cranes after each event to accommodate the next.

In order to get a better understanding of this kinetic structure, I cut out my own.  It is the transformation of the structure and the movement that make this pavilion so unique.  And not only does it save space due to its versatility, but it also saves money on building materials and construction.  I think that this is a wonderfully innovative project and think that it will positively influence more versatile works of architecture in the future.

Fashion

Art

Cinema

Special Event