Carmody Groarke reveals "joyful and low-carbon" children's pavilion alongside Dulwich Picture Gallery

Architecture studio Carmody Groarke has added the timber ArtPlay Pavilion to the gardens of the John Soane-designed Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London.

The pavilion forms part of the biggest redevelopment of the Dulwich Picture Gallery, which was the world's first purpose-built public art gallery, in over 20 years.

"[We aimed to] connect more people with art in the landscape, broaden the gallery's audiences, and create a permanent pavilion for young generations," Carmody Groarke co-founder Andy Groarke told Dezeen.

"It's about creating a joyful, low-carbon space that welcomes children and families into Dulwich Picture Gallery's historic grounds while also giving adults new places to pause, shelter, and enjoy the gardens."

Set within the redesigned grounds of the museum, the ArtPlay Pavilion aims to continue the legacy of the institution by creating a dedicated space for children.

Rotated at a 45-degree angle to Soane's building, the pavilion is intended to complement the surrounding landscape while making reference to the existing gallery, which is considered one of the most significant buildings of the 19th century.

"The canopies and circular windows are oversized and playful, drawing children in," explained Groarke. "Painted Douglas fir gives the building a light, textured character that belongs among the trees, while the canopies reference Soane's original pale-blue doors."

"The aim was to make a building that belongs to the estate and all of its visitors not just for children: adults use the canopies and outdoor spaces, while the interior offers children a more immersive and imaginative world," he continued.

Along with the colour of canopies, the choice of vertical timber slats for the cladding was a nod to the brickwork of the Soane building.

The interior of the square building is divided into a cruciform plan, with the central play space lit by a skylight. This references the skylights in the main gallery, which were an innovation at the time.

Carmody Groarke also created large circular windows to connect ArtPlay Pavilion to the surrounding landscape, which has been remodelled by landscape artist Kim Wilkie.

"Its cruciform plan and central top light recall Soane's spatial innovations within the main existing gallery, while outside the stepped timber surfaces subtly echo the brick relief of the original gallery facade," explained Groarke.

"Large circular windows and generous canopies extend the welcome of the architecture into the landscape, creating thresholds that connect inside to outside, and to art."

The cross-shaped play space is centred around a circular couch, with the interiors designed by Hold Art Collective with Zoe Francis Spowage.

Surrounding it, four distinctly coloured spaces were informed by paintings within the main gallery.

These rooms include a large slide, a version of the Rialto Bridge in Venice and a swing informed by Nicolas Poussin's paintings of clouds.

The enclosed corner spaces contain the pavilion's entrance, indoor and outdoor toilets, as well as an energy centre that contributes to reducing the carbon impact of the whole gallery site.

"The cruciform creates interlinked smaller spaces, with playful nooks at a child's scale that encourage exploration and activity, while remaining flexible enough to host many kinds of learning and play," said Groake.

"The sensory-led play activities inside the ArtPlay Pavilion, designed by HoLD Collective, reference the gallery's historic paintings, with each corner in the space dedicated to a different element – sunlight, water, wind, earth."

Designed to be sustainably responsible, the entire pavilion was built from timber with a roof constructed from two-metre lengths of timber. This negated the need for engineered timber, which needs to be sourced from outside England.

"The pavilion is built entirely from timber, with a reciprocal roof of UK-grown Douglas fir – using many small spans and pieces so that sourcing could remain local," said Groake.

"Natural ventilation, shading canopies, and photovoltaics cut operational energy, while a new ground-source heat pump links the ArtPlay Pavilion, Canteen, and Soane's gallery into one low-carbon system."

Alongside the pavilion, a new sculpture garden has been created, including a series of small hills arranged in the shape of a croissant. A playful slide designed by artist Harold Offeh was also placed next to the building.

A largely disused cottage on the site has been transformed into a canteen, while a previous entrance to the grounds has been relocated to provide better access.

Overall, Groarke hopes that the pavilion surprises the children who visit and helps them to become more engaged with art.

"We hope that it surprises them – a place they didn't expect to find in a historic Gallery garden," he said. "We hope it makes art and nature more enchanting and memorable, and that it gives them joy in discovering both."

The photography is by Johan Dehlin, unless stated.

Project team:

Architect: Carmody Groarke
Structural engineer: Structure Workshop
Services engineer: Webb Yates
Contractor: 8build
Landscape artist: Kim Wilkie
Play designers: HoLD Art Collective with Zoe Francis Spowage
Planning and heritage consultants: Savills
Project manager: Simon Bristow Associates
Health and safety: Costplan Group
Building control: London Building Control
Model making: Measure Workshop

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