The sizes and shapes achievable through mass-timber construction are delightfully whimsical when considered alongside the sizes and shapes of the trees that they suggest. Were Pare Pavilion truly a wood shaving, the size of the block from which it was pared would be quite massive—the tree from which the block came, proportionally greater than that. Pare Pavilion celebrates the great sizes and shapes achievable through innovations in mass-timber construction.

Pare pavilion was originally designed for submission to an international design competition. One of the advantages of theoretical design is the opportunity it affords to experiment with different forms of representation. In addition to the traditional architectural drawings (plans, elevations, sections), Pare Pavilion is brought to life through axon details, hand drawings, renderings and narrative.

All the thought, sketches, collaboration, and dreaming was condensed into two digital presentation boards. The second board features a hand-drawn elevation, a digital plan and two renderings during both day and night.

Pare pavilion is designed to delight, educate, and motivate. It sits along a wooded pedestrian path, creating a sense of discovery for those who find it. As word spreads, more users are encouraged to explore, learn, and get outside to notice the forest around them.

Pare Pavilion is constructed from bent 2x3 Douglas Fir glulam construction. The innovation of glulam construction is highlighted by periodically exaggerated 1/8”-glue seams. A phosphorescent additive to the glue creates a compelling glow into the evening.

The plan view emphasizes both the segmentation and the continuity of the pavilion. While the design is physically separated onto districts pieces for ease of assembly, the curved geometry suggests continuity of form between segments and below the earth.

This hand-drawn elevation is combined with digital post-production methods to create a hybrid result. Architecture is largely an exercise in representation; design competitions are an opportunity to be experimental and push the traditional modes of representation.

The pavilion is constructed of nine sections; the connection details reinforce the story of contemporary mass timber and wood construction throughout time.

Hardwood stakes secure the segments to the earth; the curved segments suggest geometrical continuity below the earth, as if the pavilion is emerging from or returning to the ground.

The innovation of glulam construction is highlighted by periodically exaggerated 1/8”-glue seams. A phosphorescent additive to the glue creates a compelling glow into the evening. The width of the Pavilion is roughly twice that of the diameter of an average Douglas Fir.

The nine segments are attached with box joints and wooden pins. The base geometry of each pin corresponds to the pin hole in the box joint to which it belongs. Each pin is a different shape for ease of assembly.