Pine Dragon

Date: January 2022 Location: London, UK Area: 165m2 Function: Pavilion Status: Competition Organiser: Royal Botanic Gardens Kew & Museum of Architecture Structural Engineer: Yohei Tomioka
Pine Dragon was developed as a competition entry for Treehouses at Kew, organised by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Museum of Architecture. The brief called for a treehouse that celebrates nature’s own architecture, exploring new forms of biomimicry in dialogue with a century-old black pine within the gardens. Drawing from the characteristic branching of the pine, the proposal develops a structural system using CLT panels that reinterpret this natural logic. The pavilion is conceived as a form that appears to grow outward, echoing the tree’s capacity to extend and adapt. Beneath its canopy, the space offers a quiet setting for visitors to dwell. Seating is integrated within the structure, inviting moments of rest and observation. Here, the experience is not prescribed, but open, allowing each visitor to engage with the pine through time, stillness, and attention.