A Study on Pavilion Design from the Perspective of Sublime Aesthetics

This study proposes a pavilion design methodology that applies the aesthetics of the sublime to spatial design, in response to the serious environmental issues caused by climate change and plastic waste. The concept of the sublime, which has been central to aesthetic theory since the 18th century, is reinterpreted in a contemporary context and expanded as a design tool to warn of environmental problems and foster social awareness. The research method redefines the concept of the sublime in spatial design based on the theories of Edmund Burke and Immanuel Kant from the 18th century. It analyzes 14 representative cases, including nine architectural works, three landscape designs, and two installation art pieces from the United States, Switzerland, Japan, and Germany. Through this analysis, five key characteristics that evoke the sublime are identified: monumental scale and infinity, symbolism and religiosity, immateriality, grotesque forms, and the use of natural motifs. Based on this theoretical exploration, the study designs a plastic monument pavilion called “Wailing Chapel” to be installed in Piazza Maggiore, Bologna, Italy. Composed of 800 PVC pipes, this structure embodies religious symbolism reminiscent of a pipe organ, immateriality through sound generated by wind, a sense of infinity through phenomenological scale, and grotesqueness in its tilted form, providing visitors with an overwhelming emotional experience. The significance of this study lies in expanding the sublime from a personal aesthetic experience to a tool for social communication, presenting a design methodology that raises awareness of environmental issues and encourages collective action. This demonstrates that, in contemporary spatial design, the sublime can be used as a practical tool to drive social change.