Designed for a nature-loving couple, the Nature Pavilion is a rustic folly on the client’s steeply-sloped and densely vegetated property. The pavilion is tucked into the tree line, on a natural plateau, far enough from the house to be a retreat destination, yet close enough to be used to entertain guests.

The design of the pavilion invokes the character of rustic National Park structures that grow out of the landscape with heavy stone piers and sheltering roof lines. Like the nearby house previously designed by the architect, the pavilion is made from traditional, natural materials that will patina and age over time: a standing seam copper roof, Douglas Fir timbers and indigenous stone, quarried on site.

The incorporation of an exterior grille provides a functional hearth for food preparation that is separate from the entertaining space. Inside the pavilion, guests gather around the spiritual hearth: an enormous, cantilevered stone slab and fireplace.