# Urban Forest Pavilions Asif Khan's 'Forests' are Spread Throughout East London By Joey Haar | Published 2016-09-29 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/forests References: [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/2016/09/28/video-interview-oke-hauser-mini-living-asif-khan-forests-installation-movie/) & [asif-khan](http://www.asif-khan.com/) Architect Asif Khan has designed a series of verdant, sylvan pavilions across the urban streets of East London, specifically in Shoreditch. Entitled 'Forests,' the installations were created for MINI, the British car manufacturer. The Forests installation, which consists of several translucent rectangular structures filled with various greenery, is an attempt to re-envision how people make use of [undefined public space](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hiroshima-architecture-exhibition). In public, areas that are neither for praxis (e.g. parking lots, bus stops) nor for leisure (e.g. parks) have tremendous potential, and the Forests pavilions are one way to unlock that. Khan sees Forests as something akin to [pop-up parks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/garden-pavilion-2), albeit with a more broad purpose. Though parks are mostly spaces for purely leisure activities, the moderate privacy of the Forests pavilions makes them spaces that are good for getting focused work done as well. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.4/10 - Popularity: 33% | Activity: 1% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/architecture) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Verdant Urban Installations:** The 'Forests' pavilions in East London demonstrate the trend of incorporating greenery into urban spaces. - **Re-imagining Public Spaces:** The Forests installation highlights the trend of transforming undefined public spaces into functional and inviting areas. - **Pop-up Workspaces:** The Forests pavilions offer disruptive innovation opportunities by providing private spaces for focused work in urban environments. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Architecture and Design:** The architectural industry can explore new ways of incorporating nature and green elements into urban structures. - **Urban Planning:** Urban planners can look into reimagining underutilized public spaces to create innovative environments that blend functionality and aesthetics. - **Co-working Spaces:** The Forests pavilions present an opportunity for the co-working industry to provide unique, temporary workspaces in urban areas. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [A-Frame Timber Wooden Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dalston-pavilion.md) - [Mangrove Forest-Inspired Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/once-upon-a-forest.md) - [Everyday Material Colorful Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/colorful-pavilions.md) - [Hidden Garden Timber Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/a-room-around-a-tree.md) - [Community Hub Timber Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/craft-not-carbon.md) - [Star-Shaped Structural Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/archipelagic-void.md) - [Interactive Architectural Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/folding-landscape.md) - [Contemporary Culture Hubs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tselinny-center.md) - [Bamboo Forest Structures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/amazon-rainforest-pavilion.md)