MADE from three and a half tonnes of timber, and part of a £100,000 programme to bring the city centre alive this summer, the stage for a month-long series of events is set.

The flat pack mobile pavilion is part of the Guildhall Square’s August programme and over the next four weeks will provide the backdrop for performances by local artists from Little Chief to the Southampton Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Specially commissioned by the John Hansard Gallery and Southampton City Council, the pavilion was created by Swedish designer Markus Bergstrom and built by Thornhill company Nolan Davis.

John Hansard director Woodrow Kernohan said leading artist Bergström was invited to design a pavilion that could be used “for a variety of events and activities, from gigs, performances and workshops, to somewhere to meet or have your lunch”.

City culture boss Councillor Satvir Kaur - who will speak at the opening party tonight added: “Guildhall Square is the centre of our city. It’s our Trafalgar Square.

“We want it to be used for a variety of reasons but particularly arts and culture. It’s only right that we work with all partners meaning businesses around Guildhall Square and tenants of Studio 144 have all come together.

“It’s a really good build up to Studio 144 opening, which will happen later this year.”

Operations manager at Nolan Davis John Aburrow said: “It’s taken three weeks to build in our joinery shop and it’s all stewardship materials - meaning that the wood has come from sustainable forests.

“The build has gone really well - apart from when we were trying to get it out of the yard and the neighbours saw the size of it. But every tree that has had to be cut down to build it another one has been planted.”

The pavilion is part of Summer in the Square.