charly jolliet architectes

Description

The Umbrella Pavilion, opened in April 2023, marks the launch of a new sector at the Fribourg botanical garden focusing on «Trees from the past, trees for the future». The pavilion, which will host events and educational workshops, features an umbrella-like structure resting on three sick larches cut down on site. The design reflects the triangular shape of the original tree placement and combines traditional wood cladding with contemporary volumetry. The rest of the sawed-off trunks were used for the flooring and benches. Visitors can explore the pavilion via long curved ramps that guide them on a loop between the future plantings, through the pavilion and back. The pavilion recently won an award at the Prix Lignum 2024. As one of the 25 recognised wooden structures, it embodies the concept of «less is more.» The smallest intervention in the selection, it demonstrates that architecture doesn’t require much. Using wood in the right places is important, but even more important is using less of it.