SPRING
The Rite of Seasons
Spring Making Workshop
LOCATION: ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION, LONDON, UK
YEAR: 2025
STATUS: COMPLETED
PROGRAM: WORKSHOP AND EXHIBITION
TYPE: EDUCATIONAL
CLIENT: ARCHITECTURAL ASSOCIATION, SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE.
AREA: N/A
Based at the Architectural Association and in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Arts, this 10-day workshop explored the experimental use of willow and plant fibres in construction. Facilitated by product designer and specialist natural weaver Femke Lemmens, we designed and built a series of 1:1 scale architectural pieces celebrating Spring as part of the Rite of Seasons, a ritual honouring seasonal change and renewal.
Drawing inspiration from the Muharram procession, in which Tazia, temporary shrines, are ceremonially paraded through the streets before being buried or immersed in water, the installation culminated in a processional presentation from the AA to the Royal Academy Life Room and back.
The Rite of Seasons workshops bridge design, craftsmanship, and sustainability, offering an in-depth exploration of material processes, from sourcing to construction and beyond, while fostering an architectural approach deeply connected to the cycles of nature.
With Special Thanks to:
Liča Anić
Roz Barr Architects
Vlada Daniltseva
Fardaa
Somerset Willow Growers
Architectural Association:
Mariana Callejas Mujica
Harriet Jennings
Christopher Pierce
The Royal Academy of Arts:
Lalia Saidy Khan
Hana Nihill
Colm Guo-Lin Peare
Participants:
Diya Ruxana Asif
Zhuo Chen
Abhi Donda
Maria Gasparinatou
Gyeona Jeon
Stacey Kan
Yuan Chi Lee
Karina Rác
Tianqin Yang
Photography: Philip dalle Nogare, Sam Alek,