timber garden folly pavilion transitions between resting shelter and planted patio

Soares Jaquier embeds small wood pavilion within concrete wall

Garden Folly is a small pavilion project developed with an extended temporal approach, allowing the structure to age, weather, and integrate gradually into its setting. Soares Jaquier Architects were interested in creating architecture shaped by time, where material transformation and environmental exposure become part of the design outcome.

The wooden pavilion is constructed entirely from reused materials and is embedded within an existing concrete wall, reinforcing a sense of continuity with the site. Modest in scale and simple in composition, the structure provides a sheltered space for reading, resting, and eating, functioning as an everyday retreat within the garden.

all images courtesy of Soares Jaquier Architects

Garden Folly pavilion integrates time, climate, and habitation

The project responds to a series of site-specific conditions, including exposure to wind, sun, and the absence of a dedicated outdoor room. Located adjacent to an architect-designed house with a restrained internal layout, the pavilion offers an additional space without altering the existing domestic interior. Positioned as an intermediary element, it operates as a threshold between the private realm of the house and the open landscape beyond.

Rather than asserting a distinct architectural object, the pavilion establishes a dialogue between the existing building, the supporting wall, and the surrounding environment. Openings and enclosures are calibrated to mediate light, air movement, and views, allowing the structure to adapt to changing climatic conditions. Conceived by Soares Jaquier Architects as a contemporary garden folly, the project folds into its context, framing the landscape while remaining attentive to everyday use and the passage of time.

Garden Folly by Soares Jaquier, a small pavilion embedded within an existing concrete wall

the pavilion was designed to weather over time, allowing material aging to become part of the architecture

reused materials form the entire structure, reinforcing continuity with the site

acting as a threshold, the structure mediates between house and landscape

openings are calibrated to frame views and regulate airflow

material textures reveal gradual weathering over time

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model

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project info:

name: Garden Folly
architect: Soares Jaquier | @soaresjaquier

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom