Fragments: Movie Set Scraps to Shelter Design Structure

From movie set scraps to a 1 to 1 human scale Shelter Design Pavillion. We designed based on recycled materials sourced through material mining, reversing the usual process by letting available resources shape our concept. Inspired by product assembly, we made the project fully disassemblable and reusable—like an IKEA kit—emphasizing sustainability, flexibility, and circular design. This installation and pavilion are used to improve community engagement in the neighborhoods around the USC Peace Garden if they need a place to stay and relax and find peace in the garden.

For this installation and pavilion, we prioritized sustainable sourcing by repurposing discarded and surplus materials from Los Angeles movie industry and local salvage businesses. Our material search took us to places to Universal Studios, Eco Set, LA Lumber, and Freeway building Materials where we collected offset, set pieces, lighting lenses and other unique remnants with cinematic history.

Some of our materials include:

1. Poster Signage
2. Wall Paper
3. Fabric
4. Foam Board
5. Window Blinds
6. Wood Lumber
7. Wood Boards
8. Wood Glue
9. Movie Set Resin

We began by sourcing discarded materials through movie set scrap yards and material mining around Los Angeles. Every item we recovered was carefully documented, measured, photographed, and modeled before being cataloged into a custom Rhino material library. This digital inventory became the foundation for our design process, allowing us to work within real-world constraints while embracing sustainable reuse.

Using the salvaged materials from Phase 1, we developed a human-scale shelter designed entirely around disassembly and reassembly. We applied traditional Japanese wood joinery techniques—such as 4-way joints, T-joints, and finger joints—to create a structure without nails or adhesives. Each joint was tested and iterated for structural integrity, ensuring the final design was both durable and easily transportable. Additionally, the exterior form reflects the concept of "Fragments," as the materials we mined were remnants of larger projects, resulting in a dynamic, irregular shape that celebrates reuse and imperfection. To enhance modularity, we incorporated infill frames into each structure, allowing components to be easily repositioned and adapted for different functions such as a blackboard, shelving, table surface, or furniture storage.

After completing the design, we began construction, and the final structure—Fragments—is now permanently installed in the USC Peace Garden.

While the structure is currently installed at the USC Peace Garden, it was designed to be fully relocatable. Our vision was for it to be reinstalled in places like Altadena, or even serve as a temporary pop-up space for a café that had burned down offering a sustainable and meaningful form of community support.