Park Pavilion, claimed to be the UK’s first charred timber building, has opened in London.
Situated adjacent to City Hall, the structure is home to a café, public amenities, ATM machines, existing vent shafts and a garage for City Hall’s 12x5x5m window cleaning crane.
Architect DSDHA and timber sub- contractor Martin Childs Ltd developed a bespoke method of charring timber to create durable, rot and insect resistant cladding, which DSDHA said took inspiration from the site’s history of extensive bombing during the second world war.
This, it added, is similar to the Japanese construction technique Yakisugi, which uses charred timber as a cladding finish.
DSDHA has also completed a whitened, “calcified” timber structure next to Tower Bridge. Blossom Square Pavilion provides retail facilities, sheltered seating and park store, which along with Parkside Pavilion, are intended as “gateways and as places to rest without becoming an obstacle to the significant pedestrian flows”.
