India, 2021
A Vault in the Forest
A childhood spent among the forests of Sakleshpur inspired the client to return decades later and build a space where nature, memory, and community could converge. What began as a few recycled pipes planted near a lake grew into the idea for a dining pavilion - a place grounded in nature and minimal in intervention.
Perched above a stream and embraced by thick forest, the pavilion sits lightly on the land with no trees cut. Its base is a granite deck supported on slender recycled steel columns that weave between the existing trunks, allowing the forest to grow through the structure. Floating above is a thin timbrel vault, a 16-metre span of hand-laid clay tiles resting on four pedestals, creating a column-free interior of openness and lightness.
Material choices were guided by reuse and locality: granite from nearby quarries, pipes repurposed into furniture, and clay tiles forming a vault that relies on geometry rather than reinforcement. This low-carbon approach celebrates the expressive qualities of natural materials while dramatically reducing embodied energy.
Equally important was the way it was built. For two months, architect, client, and local craftspeople lived and worked together on site, shaping the structure by hand. The process created employment, skills, and a shared sense of ownership. The pavilion now hosts weddings, meals, and gatherings, its openness inviting diverse experiences.
The project draws on years of research in timbrel vaulting, demonstrating how an ancient technique can meet contemporary needs in sustainable, elegant ways. With minimal intervention and deep respect for place, the pavilion dissolves into the forest, leaving the drama of rain, trees, birdsong, and light to take centre stage.
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