White Linen Bathing Pavilion

Enjoyed alone or shared with others, this small pavilion is intended for relaxation or reflection amongst cool water, musty earth, and warm sunlight. At once a tangible and spiritual experience, the project encourages pleasure in daydreaming, healing and contemplation, and conversation and thought.

LOCATION

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

SIZE

400 SF

YEAR OF COMPLETION

2000

SERVICES

ARCHITECTURE

PHOTOGRAPHER CREDIT

NEIL ALEXANDER

AWARDS

2000 PROGRESSIVE ARCHITECTURE AWARD

ASSOCIATED PRESS & PUBLICATIONS

Collaborators

Ove Arup & Partners - Envelope Consultant

A shallow pool is constructed of poured-in-place concrete, where the scent and feel of the earth is immediate and direct. The pool affords a cool spot where one can escape the heat of the day and relax in the privacy of dappled shade. Its connection to grottoes and classical baths is intentional and, as such, resonates with its intended use as a place for intimate gathering or private meditation.

The enclosure is a quill-like weave of cypress that permits light and air to flow through the pavilion with no loss of privacy. Its stacked construction echoes the practical directness of wood boards in the lumber yard or freight pallets at the quayside. From its exterior, the pavilion assumes a spirit of mystery and enigma; from the interior, one of privacy and enclosure.

The roof leaks. A specialized elastic fabric is used as both a collector for water and a ceiling above the in-ground pool. Primarily used for sunbathing, the fabric periodically fills with rainwater and distends into the space below. As the water accumulates, the specialized weave of the fabric is designed to fail and the sac will begin to weep, dripping water into the pool below and connecting the two bodies in an intricate dance of water.