Charleston Garden Pavilion

Elements of classical rigor were combined with charm and whimsy at this Garden Folly in Charleston’s Historic District.  Tucked gently into the lush perimeter of the redesigned landscape, the Folly’s material palette was intentionally kept simple: a concrete floor, painted wood framing, a bronze insect screen, and a copper roof and finial.  The floor plan was carefully considered to maintain a sense of intimacy while providing enough space to comfortably fit the whole family and allow views of the main house and garden.  

The pagoda roof and sinuous shape of the ceiling bring to mind Neoclassical-era tented garden follies, inspired by the Chinoiserie of the late 18th century.  Despite its traditional appearance, this building used cutting-edge technology during construction.  All of the building elements were made using robotic precision CNC fabrication. Digital drawing files were used to cut and assemble the structure in the shop, whereafter it was disassembled, transported to the site, and then reassembled like a 3D puzzle. This dramatically shortened the construction time and minimized the impact to the owners.