Chilean-German practice GUN architects have installed the ‘Water Cathedral’ in Santiago, Chile, the winning design proposal from the MoMA young architects program international, a collaboration between the MoMA in New York, MoMA PS1 and Chilean platform, Constructo. The pavilion is a horizontal nave comprised of suspended vertical elements at various heights and densities, naturally carving spaces. The slender, pyramidal components are made from fabric and concrete to mimic stalactites and stalagmites found in caves.
Supported by a minimal external steel framework, the inverted cones are suspended from a wire grid to capture rainwater within a plastic bag. Dripping at different pulses and speeds, water drops exit the textile covering to generate a cool atmosphere for visitors beneath the canopy. Stalagmites formed with concrete blocks double as benches, strategically placing individuals below the streams of water.