UDATEGIA.
Temporary Greenhouse Pavilion, Institute for Basque Architecture, San Sabastian, Spain.

Udategia is a Basque word meaning the place where summer is produced and kept. The pavilion translates this idea into a temporary architectural structure capable of hosting growth, care, and collective engagement.

Built in December 2020 in a limited timeframe, the pavilion was assembled on site with simple means and lightweight materials. The structure was conceived as a compact greenhouse, designed to operate autonomously while remaining open to public interaction. Through controlled environmental conditions, the pavilion supports the cultivation of food and herbs, extending the notion of seasonal production beyond its usual temporal boundaries.

The architectural system is based on a lightweight timber frame covered with polypropylene panels, providing protection from wind and saline air while allowing light and heat to accumulate. The pavilion’s proportions and construction logic enable rapid assembly, disassembly, and adaptation to different contexts.

Installed on the terrace of the Institute for Basque Architecture in the historic center of San Sebastian and facing the bay of La Concha, the pavilion functions as both an infrastructural and social device. The cultivated produce becomes part of small public events, transforming the pavilion into a temporary interface between architecture, food production, and collective use.

Mediate designates the transfer of knowledge through cultivation practices, environmental control, and collective care.

Activate refers to the pavilion’s capacity to generate use, production, and social interaction within a temporary architectural framework.