LONDON DESIGN BIENALLE

CONCEPT
BIOCIRCULER SUSTAINABLE

PERIODE
2021

LOCATE
LONDON

London Design Biennale 2021 – RESTORE Pods

Overview

Our RESTORE installation was shortlisted among 30 projects from India for the London Design Biennale 2021, curated to showcase bold ideas for the future of urban living.

Concept

India’s cities urgently need welcoming outdoor spaces where people can meet, relax, and breathe fresh air—especially in a post-COVID world. RESTORE sets a new baseline for these public environments: people-first, sustainable, and visually striking.

The pods create shaded micro-climates that encourage collaboration and quiet reflection, offering a healthy alternative to enclosed, air-conditioned interiors.

Design & Sustainability

  • Modular “petal” geometry allows each pod to expand or contract—like the segments of an orange—without material waste.
  • Recycled engineered-wood panels or bamboo composites form the structure, supporting a full life-cycle of reuse. Bamboo’s fast growth and low water needs make it an ideal renewable resource.
  • A diagrid exoskeleton of patterned screens filters sunlight, casting dynamic shadows and passively regulating temperature.
    • Open patterns admit light where sun exposure is low.
    • Denser patterns provide shade in hotter areas.

Flexibility & Reuse

RESTORE pods can be dismantled and reassembled at new sites, adapting to many uses:

  • Shaded outdoor seating in parks or plazas
  • Bus shelters and transit stops
  • Gazebos or garden pavilions at building edges
  • Porches or semi-open spaces for cafés and community hubs

Mint, citrus, and other fragrant plantings reinforce a sense of coolness, while integrated water features further lower ambient temperatures.

Urban Impact

RESTORE addresses the shortage of public seating in India’s hot climates by offering safe, distanced gathering places.
Each pod can be interpreted by different designers, giving every neighborhood a distinct identity while creating a unified network of urban décor objects that transform streetscapes into healthier, more sociable environments.