Plenty of young designers are trying to do a lot of good on not a lot of budget. A new pavilion designed by a team led by New York firm ARExA shows that money-saving can drive innovation, not restrict it. With the help of some well-chosen materials, these architects were able to experiment with form, have a high social impact and keep their backers happy.

The Van Alen Institute, a New York–based nonprofit dedicated to developing design solutions to urban and ecological issues, recently opened its Opportunity Space Festival pavilion in Malmö, Sweden. The Festival, in its inaugural year, is the culmination of an international design competition for a temporary structure to house “programs supporting social and economic inclusion” focused on immigration and happening over a two-week period.