Reimagined as a purpose-built folly by Artel31, the site of the former Mangotsfield station in Bristol is hosting a yearlong series of artistic commissions by local artists. The station, which served as a connecting transit point between Bristol and Birmingham, shut down in 1966, leaving behind its remnants, a distinctive memory embedded in the local history.
![photo_credit Charles Emerson photo_credit Charles Emerson](https://archello.com/thumbs/images/2022/12/22/artel31-mangotsfield-folly-pavilions-archello.1671727394.6805.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress)
Taking cues from Bristol’s famous art scenes, the folly developed as street architecture, introducing art into the existing environment, and endorsing its message while acknowledging its temporality.
![photo_credit Charles Emerson photo_credit Charles Emerson](https://archello.com/thumbs/images/2022/12/22/artel31-mangotsfield-folly-pavilions-archello.1671727345.4221.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress)
To promote usage and engagement, the firm collaborated with local groups, with the simple idea of artists taking ownership, continually evolving the design and appearance of the structure.
![photo_credit Charles Emerson photo_credit Charles Emerson](https://archello.com/thumbs/images/2022/12/22/artel31-mangotsfield-folly-pavilions-archello.1671727391.3958.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress)
Apart from the rock panel cladding boards that were received as a donation, the structure was built using entirely reclaimed materials from other construction projects, driving simplicity. The project does not use concrete or plastic at all; instead, every component is completely demountable and designed for easy disassembly at the end of its useful life.
![photo_credit Charles Emerson photo_credit Charles Emerson](https://archello.com/thumbs/images/2022/12/22/artel31-mangotsfield-folly-pavilions-archello.1671727290.1183.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress)
In conclusion, the temporary pavilion adeptly draws visitors to the neglected garden in the disused railway site, leaving no footprint yet giving new meaning and life to the historic site.
![photo_credit Charles Emerson photo_credit Charles Emerson](https://archello.com/thumbs/images/2022/12/22/artel31-mangotsfield-folly-pavilions-archello.1671727392.7885.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress)