O C O T I L L O / Roundhouse Platform

Architect: Roundhouse Platform
Area: 64 ft² / 6 m²
Year: 2025
Photography: Basel AlKhanenny, Quinlan Hartmeister, Damien Narum-Brelay, Brendan Sullivan Shea
Lead Architect: Brendan Sullivan Shea
Team Members: Altaf Aladwani, Basel AlKhaneeny, Kobee Austria, Richard Biocca, Seth Bulin, Tom Feng, Perla Germani, Quinlan Hartmeister, Lena Lieu, Abigail Martinez, Mike Morales, Anthony Rascon, Sofia Silva-Castellanos, Anselmo Vinhas, Noémie Despland-Lichtert
City: Tucson, Arizona
Country: USA

The o c o t i l l o installation in Tucson, Arizona, completed in 2025 by Roundhouse Platform’s Desertification + Democracy Studio, transforms a compact 64 ft² space into a multifunctional gathering point. Inspired by the ocotillo plant native to the Sonoran Desert, its interlocking frames of unaltered 2×4 lumber combine seating, viewing, and shading in a cohesive composition. Built with a straightforward system of studs, screws, and jigs, it supports disassembly and reuse, embodying circular design principles. The structure extends into the digital realm through QR codes linking to student projects, while at night programmable LEDs respond to movement and proximity, altering light and color to reflect site activity. Serving as both an interactive exhibit and a social hub, it bridges architectural experimentation with active campus life.

From a distance, o c o t i l l o rises against the desert horizon as a light-framed intervention that shifts in character with the changing sun. Up close, it invites movement through a series of compressed passages that open unexpectedly onto elevated platforms and framed views, encouraging exploration as both an object and a navigable space. Designed in 2025 by the University of Arizona’s Desertification + Democracy Studio under the guidance of Brendan Sullivan Shea, the pavilion occupies just 6 m² yet manages to host a range of social and spatial experiences.

Its design captures the essence of the ocotillo plant, translating its linear, upright form into a rhythm of interlocking wooden frames cut from unaltered 2×4 lumber. The configuration produces moments of shade, privacy, and perspective, while a sloped plane transitions fluidly from ground level to overhead cover, shifting the balance between enclosure and openness. A split bench element offers seating at varied heights, and an upper platform reached from the rear becomes a favorite spot for casual gatherings or quiet study.

The project team, composed of Altaf Aladwani, Basel AlKhaneeny, Kobee Austria, Richard Biocca, Seth Bulin, Tom Feng, Perla Germani, Quinlan Hartmeister, Lena Lieu, Abigail Martinez, Mike Morales, Anthony Rascon, Sofia Silva-Castellanos, Anselmo Vinhas, and Noémie Despland-Lichtert, constructed the installation using only basic tools and fasteners. This direct approach allows for future disassembly, reconfiguration, and material reuse, underscoring a commitment to adaptable and sustainable design.

Embedded QR codes transform the installation into a living exhibition, giving visitors access to individual student projects and the design process behind the work. After sunset, programmable LED lighting activates, adjusting color and brightness in response to movement, touch, and proximity. This responsive element makes the pavilion an active participant in its surroundings, subtly mirroring the energy of the site.

Since its completion, o c o t i l l o has become a focal point on campus, used by students and faculty alike as a meeting place, a study area, and a site for casual conversation. It demonstrates how modest means, informed by context and community, can produce a work of architecture that is both an object of design and a living space for daily life.