LA pavilion is a great addition to any piece of property, especially on a
larger plot of land. You can have an excellent place to hang out, pic-nic,
cook, camp, or to just enjoy the extended part of your property. Every
pavilion needs horseshoe pits. We are very good at both pavilions and
horseshoes!
In architecture a pavilion (from French, "pavillon", from Latin "papilio")
has two main significations - free-standing structure and classical
Architecture.
Free-standing Structure
Pavilion may refer to a free-standing structure sited a short distance from a
main residence, whose architecture makes it an object of pleasure. Large or
small, there is usually a connection with relaxation and pleasure in its
intended use. A pavilion built to take advantage of a view is referred to as a
gazebo.
Such pavilions may be small garden outbuildings, similar to a summerhouse or a
kiosk. These were particularly popular in the 18th century and can be equated to
the Italian casina, usually rendered in English "casino". These often resembled
small classical temples and follies. A poolhouse by a swimming pool may have
sufficient character and charm to be called a pavilion.
A free-standing garden pavilion, Hofgarten in Munich, BavariaBy contrast, a
free-standing pavilion can also be a far larger building such as the Royal
Pavilion at Brighton, which is in fact a large oriental style palace; however,
like its smaller namesakes, the common factor is that it was built for pleasure
and relaxation.
A sports pavilion is usually a building adjacent to a sports ground used for
changing clothes and often partaking of refreshments. Often it has a verandah to
provide protection from the sun for spectators. The term pavilion is also used
in stadia, especially baseball parks, to distinguish a typically single-decked,
covered seating area from the more expensive seating area of the main grandstand
and the less expensive seating area of the uncovered bleachers.
Classical Architecture
In its other main significance, in a symmetrical range of buildings in the
classical styles, where there is a main central block—the corps de logis—the
wings may end in pavilions that are emphasized in some fashion, in order to
provide a full stop to the composition, like a period at the end of a sentence.
In the Place des Vosges, Paris (1605–12), twin pavilions mark the centers of the
north and south sides of the square (illustration, left). They are named the
Pavillon du Roi and the Pavillon de la Reine though no royal personage ever
lived in the square. With their triple archways, they function like gatehouses
that give access to the privileged space of the square. French gatehouses had
been built in the form of such pavilions in the preceding century.
In the country, a Pavilion is an architectural place used for hunting. The "Pavillon
de Galon" in Luberon (France) is a typical 18th century hunting aristocratic
pavilion. The pavilion located on the place of an old Roman Villa includes some
gardens "à la française" which was used by the guests for receptions.
Chinese Pavilions
Chinese Pavilions are covered structures without surrounding walls and are a
traditional part of Chinese architecture. While often found within temples,
pavilions are not exclusively religious structures. Many Chinese parks and
gardens feature pavilions to provide shade and a place to rest.
History
A golden-tiled roof pavilion atop the main hall of the Putuo Zongcheng Temple
near Chengde, built from 1767–1771 during the reign of the Qianlong
Emperor.Pavilions are known to have been built as early as the Zhou Dynasty
(1046–256 BCE), although no examples of that period remain today. The first use
of the Chinese character for pavilion dates to the Spring and Autumn Period
(722–481 BCE) and the Warring States Period (403–221 BCE). During the Han
Dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE) they were used as watchtowers and local government
buildings. These multi-story constructions had at least one floor without
surrounding walls to allow observation of the surroundings.
During the Sui (581–618) and Tang (618–907) dynasties wealthy officials and
scholars incorporated pavilions into their personal gardens. During this period
the function of pavilions shifted from the practical to the aesthetic. Pavilions
provided a place to sit and enjoy the scenery, and they also became a part of
the scenery itself, being attractive structures. Brush-and-ink landscape scrolls
of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) show the isolated pavilions of scholar hermits in
mountainous regions. Under the impetus of scholarly tastes for the simplicity of
a rustic life, while previously pavilions were constructed from stone, other
materials such as bamboo, grass and wood came into use.
Types of Chinese Pavilion
A round pavilion in CUHK, Hong KongPavilions are often classified according to
their shape when viewed from above. Round, square, hexagonal and octagonal
pavilions are common, while more unusual designs also exist such as the Nanhai
Pavilion located at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, which consists of two round
pavilions joined together.
Origin of the name
While the name is commonly believed to be related to its purpose as a place to
stay and rest, the fact that the earliest pavilions were used for military and
governmental purposes casts doubt on this interpretation.
Gazebos
A gazebo is a pavilion structure, often octagonal, commonly found in parks,
gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding, or attached to a
garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, basic shelter,
ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest. Some gazebos in public
parks are large enough to serve as bandstands.
History
Gazebos belong to a variety of garden structures with similar functions, that
include pagodas, pavilions, kiosks, belvederes, follies, alambras, pergolas, and
more. As the etymologies of those names suggest, such structures were (and are)
quite popular in warm and sunny climates. They are well-attested in the
literature of China, Persia, and many other classical civlizations, going back
to several millennia. Examples of such structures are the garden houses at
Montacute House.
Through most of American history, gazebos continued as a garden feature reserved
for the well-to-do. George Washington had a small eight-sided garden structure
at Mount Vernon.Thomas Jefferson wrote about gazebos - then usually called
summerhouses or pavilions.He planned to build at least three in different styles
at his home, Monticello, but only got around to building one.
The word gazebo was first used by British architects William and John Halfpenny
in their book Rural Architecture in the Chinese Taste (1750). Plate 55 of the
book, titled “Elevation of a Chinese Gazebo” shows “a Chinese Tower or Gazebo,
situated on a Rock, and raised to a considerable Heighth, and a Gallery round it
to render the Prospect more compleat”.
The origin of the word is unknown, and it has no cognates in other European
languages. Several false etymologies have been proposed, such as the French
expression Que c'est beau ("How beautiful") and the Macaronic Latin gazebo ("I
shall gaze"). L.L. Bacon proposed a derivation from Casbah, a Muslim quarter
around the citadel in Algiers. More recently, W. Sayers proposed that the name
comes from Hispano-Arabic qushaybah, attested in a poem by Cordoban poet Ibn
Quzman (d. 1160).
Construction
Through history, garden pavilions have been built using almost any construction
material. In contemporary England and North America, however, gazebos are
typically built of wood and covered with standard roofing materials, such as
shingles. Prefabricated gazebo kits produced in Pennsylvania by the Amish and
Mennonites have a high reputation for quality craftsmanship.
Gazebos, especially temporary ones, can be also tent-style structures of poles
covered by tensioned fabric (usually nylon).
Gazebos are sometimes equipped with screen sides to ward off flying insects.
This addition has recently gained popularity due to growing concerns about
mosquito-carried West Nile virus.
