A quirky split-level pavilion in the Netherlands built with fallen trees

Eindhoven-based DeBossa Architects designed a beautiful wooden pavilion on the grounds of a historic Dutch mansion.

It was created for storing firewood and garden items as well as an indoor and outdoor space for relaxation, holding dinners and enjoying occasional musical performances surrounded by nature. Commissioned by Brabants Landschap, the trust that owns the building, it was crafted from salvaged materials and timber felled in local forests owned and conserved by the nature organization.

The double gable-roofed pavilion is located right next to the bricked Zegenwerp Mansion, on a former isle along the River Dommel. It shelters two main areas, one for socializing and a smaller space for parking a car, storing gardening tools and playing ping-pong. Both roofs were partially covered by repurposed tiles and rest on timber columns that maximize the space and views into the countryside.

The indoor and outdoor shelter is used for receptions, dinners for up to 20 people and musical performances sheltered from bad weather conditions. It also provides a well-ventilated but dry place to store firewood to heat the mansion. But instead of creating a striking contrast with the old building, the architects stored the logs as a 32-foot long wall that extends delicately from the historical building.