World Design Capital 2024 / Exchange Pavilion / Pabellon de Intercambio

Status: Completed 2024 – In Transit
Location: San Diego, California & Tijuana, Baja California
Program: Public Pavilion for Events, Visual Art, and Cultural Exchange
Construction Type: Modular Temporary Structure
Number of Components: 8 Structural Frames
Size: 3,500 SF usable area / 1,500 sf covered area
Delivery Method: Design–Bid–Build
Construction Materials: HSS Steel Members, Corrugated Polycarbonate Panels, Sheet Metal, LED Displays, Recycled plastic
Client: World Design Capital 2024 – San Diego Tijuana
Scope of Work: Design, Fabrication, Installation
Construction Cost: $385,000

The Exchange Pavilion / Pabellón Intercambio represents more than just an architectural achievement—it is a symbol of cross-border unity and an emblem of the shared culture, economy, and community between San Diego and Tijuana, the world’s first officially designated binational World Design Capital (2024).

Created in collaboration with visual artist Daniel Ruanova Studio, the pavilion was envisioned as a modular, portable structure that would serve as a dynamic canvas for public engagement—hosting interactive displays, lectures, performances, workshops, and installations. First installed in San Diego’s Balboa Park in August 2024, the pavilion will be deinstalled and permanently reassembled in Tijuana in 2025 to an undisclosed location to complete its intended cross-border journey.

The Exchange Pavilion reclaims and transforms what was once considered a “no-man’s-land”—a space shaped by geopolitical tension—into a vibrant, public realm of creativity and possibility. The design physically embodies this transformation, breaking down boundaries and opening new pathways for cultural interaction.

A striking “X” shape—formed by conjoined double walls that metaphorically reinterpret the U.S.-Mexico border fence—represents fluid exchange and intersection. Transparent polycarbonate cladding in vivid orange pays homage to the corrugated steel panels of the historic border wall while projecting light and vibrancy into the public realm.

Inside, the pavilion encourages permeability and visibility from every angle, making every interaction visible and participatory. The outer skin is wrapped in a curving LED ticker tape, referencing the currency exchange kiosks ubiquitous along the border. But rather than displaying rates, it transmits a curated stream of poetry, reflections, and multilingual messages submitted by writers and artists from both nations.

The Exchange Pavilion was engineered as a fully prefabricated modular structure, consisting of eight welded HSS steel frames fabricated in Tijuana. These oversized modules crossed the border under escort and were assembled on-site in San Diego in just two weeks, demonstrating the power of binational design-build collaboration and the potential of prefabricated infrastructure for other civic or housing applications.

Beyond structure, the pavilion integrates sustainability and material reuse:

Modular seating was created using recycled plastic blocks from ByBlock

Lighting and digital controls were designed for energy efficiency and low-glare performance

HSS steel members utilized for the project were manufactured from 100% recycled steel material

Throughout its time on both sides of the border, the pavilion has served as a venue for lectures, performances, panel discussions, poetry readings, and more—making it a cultural crossroads and living exhibition of binational cooperation. By anchoring World Design Capital programming in an accessible, interactive space, the pavilion amplifies the region’s commitment to human-centered design, diplomacy through creativity, and shared urban futures.

Photography / © Paco Alvarez, Ian Patzke

The Exchange Pavilion was made possible through the contributions of an interdisciplinary, cross-border design and fabrication team:

Structural Engineering: MDEP Structures

Lighting Design: Elluminet

Lighting Fixtures & Controls: SDLA

Electrical Engineering: ELEN Consulting

Steel Fabrication & Installation: EMP Steel Solutions, Inc.

Digital LED Displays: Fuse Technical Group

Recycled Modular Seating: ByBlock / ByFusion

Structural Engineering: MDEP Structures

Lighting Design: Elluminet

Lighting Fixture & Controls Rep: SDLA