triangular wooden pavilion floats on reused plastic gallons along croatia’s coasts

Floating Pavilion Reconfigures Rijeka’s Waterfront Public Space

PlivaTri is a floating triangular pavilion installed off the coast of Rijeka, Croatia, as part of the MEDS Design Workshop 2025. Conceived as a public structure addressing the limited availability of comfortable beachfront space, the pavilion forms a geometric intervention within the Adriatic landscape. Its triangular plan incorporates an open central void and a perimeter walkway that supports activities such as swimming, resting, and small-scale gatherings. The pavilion’s form produces a defined relationship between water, city, and port, framing views and creating varied spatial conditions depending on movement, light, and tide.

Constructed from recycled gallons, reclaimed ropes, and other locally sourced materials, the project integrates sustainable material strategies with references to Rijeka’s maritime and industrial context. Designed with participatory principles, the pavilion incorporates input from workshop participants, allowing the structure to evolve through collaborative decision-making.

all images courtesy of Pegi Pika Lešnik

Collaborative Design Shapes PlivaTri Reconfigurable Pavilion

PlivaTri consists of three modular units, each built from five components: floating gallons, a base frame, columns, a ceiling structure, and a system of decorative ropes. The modules can be reconfigured into different arrangements, supporting adaptability for future use. A detailed cutsheet guided material allocation and ensured efficient use of the limited resources available during the workshop.

Two co-creation sessions were held to integrate participant contributions: one focused on redesigning the central section of the pavilion, and the other on developing the rope-based decorative element. Although the pavilion’s core structure was pre-designed by the tutors due to its technical demands, these sessions enabled collaborative refinement of key features.

To extend its life beyond the 15-day workshop, the design team partnered with the Rijeka-based NGO Urbani Separe, which works on community-led cultural and spatial initiatives. The structure is set to be used in a variety of public programs, either on land or afloat, extending its role as a flexible, publicly accessible installation within the city’s waterfront environment.

project info:

name: PlivaTri | @plivatri
designers and project tutors: Leda Demetriadou (CYP), Ahmad El Zu’bi (LBN), Stefanie Zins (ROU)

design team: Simona Lazić (SRB), Mila Čarapić (SRB), Gaja Bergant (SVN), Luka Mijajlović (SRB), Klaudiusz Szwajka (POL), Sude Vural (TUR), Mathew Gindy (EGY), Ahmed Bader (LBY), Sherry Gendy (EGY), Irene Favero (ITA), Pegi Pika Lešnik (SVN), Kagan Karabulut (TUR), Daria Ciesiolkiewicz (POL), Valeriia Stavitskaia (RUS), Sofia Burin Leonardos (BRA), Ema Marušič (SVN), Lara Wschiansky (CHE), Lynn El Onaissy (LBN), Joya Yazbeck (LBN)

location: Rijeka, Croatia

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom