The IAA Professor Odile Decq was commissioned by Galerie Philippe Gravier to create a functional art piece for the 2022 edition of the Paris+ par Art Basel art fair, which concluded on 5 November.
Designed as a glass pavilion with pyramidal roof, the masterpiece was installed in the Jardin des Thuileries as part of the event.
The venture, which is called “The Green Pavilion”, is an updated version of “The Black Pavilion” that madame Decq created in 2015, which recreated the form of a pavilion found on the castle in Rouen grounds in black one-way glass intended to reflect the surrounding landscape.
For the new pavilion, the creator swapped the black glass for transparent glazing and adapted the design to allow it to function as a greenhouse that evokes the kitchen gardens created on this site in the 16th century.
The glazed structure allowed passersby to view the various delicate and rare plant species housed inside.
At night, candles were lit and the pavilion took on the appearance of a lantern.
The Green Pavilion’s pyramidal roof was altered from the earlier design to incorporate openings that were required to ventilate the interior.
A system of hydraulic plungers allowed the glass panels to open automatically in response to rising temperatures inside the greenhouse.
Visitors could enter the pavilion through an arched opening. It featured a minimal, frameless doorway articulated with hinges fitted directly onto the glass wall and door panel. The arched form minimised the potential for damage to any fragile corners.
The pavilion contained shelves covered with plants typically found in traditional orangeries. These large greenhouses were fashionable in Northern Europe from the 17th to the 19th centuries and were used to protect fruit trees during the winter.
Photo by Stefan Tuchila