Pavilion Siegen | Ian Shaw Architekten

Pavilion Siegen’s dramatic horizontal form articulates an assured yet subtle compression of space, framing views of the lake and the local topography. The building’s tectonic rigour is palpable, its seemingly gravity defying configuration enabling the floor plate and ceiling to cantilever some 6m beyond the lakeshore.

The scheme is both a weekend fishing retreat and a garage for three classic cars. A toilet and washroom facility is also included, as is a storage unit for the client’s angling equipment. Detailing is measured throughout - from the integrated lighting to the fully glazed internal area.

A strict proportional grid organizes the composition: the floor plan is 12x12m; the interior, 9x9m; and the oversized steel doors, 3x3m - these were manufactured by the client's engineering company, as were the bespoke spindles on which they pivot, so allowing each door, weighing 340 kilos, to be opened with a push of a single finger. The grid template was also used to configure the shuttering joints and fenestration divisions.

Structurally, the cantilevered platform comprises a series of precast concrete slabs, tied back to massive drum foundations. A finishing layer of in-situ concrete gives the floor surface an aesthetic uniformity. The walls and ceiling were similarly cast in-situ. 

Integral to the project is the concrete's carefully formulated off-white finish. This refines the pavilion's dialogue with the surrounding terrain. And, from an environmental standpoint, the use of special non-oiled shuttering ensured that the lake’s fish population came to no harm during the pavilion's construction.