The Pavilions

The Atherton pavilions; two accessory structures rich in detail and imagined by the owners to be of the landscape. Both of identical footprint, height, and materials, the two structures were built for distinctive functions. One is to be used as an outdoor kitchen/dining space and the other as a meditation or workout room.

After searching extensively for their perfect home, the homeowners fell in love with a contemporary house in Atherton. Over the years the couple added to the property. A small garage expansion and a top floor addition were built to provide additional space for their growing family.

The pavilions are situated in the home’s rear yard, delicately placed amidst the existing landscape. The clients desired the boxes to be transparent and discrete to blend in with the surrounding softscape. Our team collaborated closely with the landscape consultant to make the transition between garden and pavilion as seamless as possible.

The landscape interventions unify the two pavilions with a new water feature and decks that float off the accessory structures. Next to the organic shaped pool, the cooking pavilion acts as an extension of the pool activity. An outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven, grill, and extensive storage compliment the adjacent dining space. The second pavilion sits further back on the lot, meant to be more of a retreat space for yoga, exercise, and meditation.

The pavilions’ facades are wrapped in naturally weathering Alaskan Yellow Cedar slats that shroud the ends of the structures while screens help form trellises on the front and back. The owners encouraged a soft wood palette, with the intent that the materials would weather and age, further easing the relatively new objects into their verdant surroundings. 

LOCATION Atherton, California

PROJECT TEAM

Contractor: Design Line Construction
Landscape Design: Thuilot Associates
Structural Engineer: Daedalus Structural Engineering
Civil Engineer: Lea & Braze Engineering
Geotechnical Engineer: Romig Engineers Inc