Charles Holland Architects has partnered with RASKL to design a vibrant, demountable timber bandstand for Mitcham Fair Green in south London. Named "What Goes Around," the contemporary structure will be assembled each summer and stored during winter months, creating a seasonal landmark for the historic park.

The innovative bandstand draws inspiration from both the park's rich history as the site of an annual fair and the traditional bandstands of the 18th and 19th centuries. Charles Holland, founder of Charles Holland Architects, emphasized the joyful purpose of the structure. "It's a modern bandstand! I love bandstands as their function really is joy and pleasure and celebration," Holland told architecture publication Dezeen. "They come under the same category of architecture as seaside piers and fairground rides, which is great because it's on Mitcham Fair Green, and these buildings tend to be exuberant and highly decorative."

The design process involved extensive community engagement, including a print workshop at Mitcham market. The architects drew inspiration from the area's historical connection to growing lavender, peppermint, and liquorice, incorporating these botanical elements into the bandstand's distinctive patterned roof. "During the workshop, flowers and organic patterns were a recurring theme," Holland explained. "So we drew on that."

The bandstand's unique seasonal cycle influenced both its name and design philosophy. "The patterns also relate to the demountable aspect of the bandstand," Holland noted. "It is going to be taken down and stored every winter, so in a sense, when it is put back up in spring again it blooms like a flower – that's why we called it What Goes Around because it comes back every year."

Structurally, the bandstand features eight glued laminated timber columns surrounding a raised stage. These columns support a network of timber beams topped by a sixteen-sided, colorfully patterned roof. The design deliberately chose modern materials like timber over traditional cast iron while maintaining the decorative exuberance characteristic of historic bandstands. The fabrication and installation were handled by RASKL Art Architectural, with structural engineering provided by eHRW.

For Charles Holland Architects, this project represents their first bandstand design, offering an opportunity to reinterpret a beloved architectural typology. "We design all sorts of buildings – housing, houses, schools, interiors, exhibitions, but we are always interested in the communicative potential of architecture – what buildings 'say' – and a bandstand is a very talkative kind of building," Holland said. "We like decoration, ornament and pattern and looking at these in contemporary ways, so this was a great opportunity to reinterpret the bandstand."

The new structure replaces a previous bandstand that was removed from the site in the 1950s, reconnecting the community with this traditional form of public architecture. Holland deliberately embraced the traditional terminology rather than adopting contemporary alternatives. "We could have called it a performance pavilion or something like that, but really it's a bandstand and we are very happy with that!"

The project was commissioned by the London Borough of Merton, reflecting local government investment in community cultural infrastructure. Holland hopes the bandstand will become an integral part of community life, hosting various events and performances throughout each summer season.

Looking toward the future, Holland envisions the bandstand as a catalyst for community engagement and cultural activity. "It's ultimately about the events that happen in and around it and the pleasure that it inspires," he said. "We hope that it adds joy to this corner of London and that it becomes part of the life of the community." Charles Holland Architects was established in 2017 by Holland, who previously co-founded the influential architectural studio FAT. The firm's other notable projects include a parrot-like pavilion in North Yorkshire and various residential extensions characterized by playful, decorative approaches to contemporary architecture.