In a verdant forest above England’s Surrey Hills, this striking cedar-scaled structure stands ready to welcome visitors looking for a moment of shelter. Designed by London’s texture-loving Giles Miller Studio, the Perspectives pavilion was built to provide a peaceful spot to sit and marvel at the scenic vistas below.
Inspired by the graffiti typically carved into public benches and trees, each cedar disc was etched with a fragment of poetry or other messages collected from local school children and residents. The discs were then attached by hand to the sculpture’s elliptical steel frame.
The clever overlay of the shingles provides protection from the elements while maintaining an airy, open connection with the space outside. Note how the scales’ orientation becomes more horizontal and open towards the front of the structure, looking more like a bird bristling its feathers.
Perspectives was commissioned by Surrey Hills Arts and the Mittal Foundation as one of several scenic stops along the Surrey Hills path. Take a closer look, below.