“They can reflect the beautiful setting they’re sitting within.”

Matthew Roper hopes his idea to build a series of pavilions in Edmonton’s river valley catches the attention of The Edmonton Project judges.

“These pavilions could offer a really sustainable light development touch to the trail networks,” Roper said.

The idea was inspired by warming huts in Winnipeg – but his pavilions could have a number of different uses.

“You could have a coffee shop open its doors for say six months during winter,” Roper said. “You could flip it over to ice cream and smoothies in the summer.”

Plus, the options for designs are seemingly endless.

“You can take a very simple frame and really…clad it and close it in any number of ways,” Roper said.

“It shows you can adapt one of these so we are not getting little cookie cutter implants of container architecture, just being put along the river valley.”

His idea was one of hundreds submitted to The Edmonton Project – and it is one of ten to make it to the shortlist.

He’ll pitch his idea to a panel of judges on March 6 – in the meantime, he’ll be working on coming up with an estimated cost, and long-term plans for the project.

With files from Dez Melenka