Issue 44 winter 24 - Journal - Page 76
pilastered frontage designed by RA Briggs. The pavilion
has a clear modern identity distinct from the body of the
main house, yet suitably fitting, re-establishing a bookend
to the main house and terrace.
Within the inner Douglas fir wall and roof build ups,
Magply is employed to create a fire barrier, which is lined
internally with an expressed sarking layer of Garnica
reinforced maple ply. Subtle distinctions between these
timber species are blurred by a tinted Envirograf intumescent treatment, which renders the whole in a calm
off-white finish.
Minimising environmental impact is central to all De
Matos Ryan projects. This was a key driver in making
material choices for the pavilion. Whilst dressed, carved
stone was a relatively straight forward contextual decision
externally, the opportunity to reimagine historic timber
linings internally presented the conceptual conditions to
explore an exceptionally low-carbon typology of both
materials brought together. The Cotswold stone was
quarried locally from only three miles away. Aside from
its cutting, it is, in effect, a ready-made, low energy material, that is self-finished and self-supporting when forming
an external skin. Its ability to nowadays be primarily
shaped by machine is almost certainly the envy of the
original stonemasons.
The internal timber frame structure is sustainably sourced,
UK grown, Douglas fir. It offers the opportunity to engage
an elemental constructional methodology that 'looks like
the way it is built', using standard sizes and traditional carpentry techniques in a modern manner. Double member
columns clamp and bolt together about purlins, which
then support joist decks. Ends are cut and notched simply
to resolve junctions elegantly.
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