‘Abondantus Giganticus,’ Church Pavilion by LOOS.FM

LOOS.FM, a Dutch design firm have built Abondantus Giganticus, a 20 meter tall church-shaped temporary pavilion created for last year’s Grenswerk Festival in Enschede, The Netherlands.

The pavilion (Abondantus Gigantus) is made up of so-called Legioblocks: concrete blocks that are very similar to the famous Lego bricks. The blocks are grey and nondescript, yet they possess an industrial beauty.

Above all, the blocks are reminiscent of the toy-sized Legos while being the size of pyramid stones. Although these blocks are multifunctional, hardly anyone makes use of their full potential. They are mainly used in dumping grounds surrounding harbors, as a wall for iron scrap or for sheltering potatoes. Once a wall of Legioblocks has been placed, it usually remains there for years, even though they are easy and flexible to build with.

The Legioblocks are easily stacked and versatile in their use.
The concrete blocks are painted in 5 primary Lego colors and used indiscriminately to build the spire and walls. The blocks creates an oddness in proportions. The reference to Lego bricks often call up feelings of remembrance, sentiment and creativity. The size of the church on the other hand, inspires the spectator with awe.