butterfly wings is a meditation pavilion surrounded by greenery, part of Jacques Wirtz’s ambitious landscape project for a private residence on the shores of Lake Geneva in Grands. The name comes from an archaic Japanese word meaning butterfly wing.
The four unfurled wings open the space to a pool, a lake, a manor house and a century-old forest. The pergola canopy is also conceived as curved wings, directing the eye towards the sky.
The stainless steel structure stands on four columns, the only ground supporting the entire structure, and four curved walls, most of which overhang the surrounding garden.
The meditation space is completely shaded by a dowel wooden cover with a circular cross section that is maroon in nature.
The clever play of filtering light and the surrounding landscape pays homage to the Japanese culture’s appreciation of shadows.
The pavilion rests delicately on the ground like a light insect, barely touching the ground and ready to take off without leaving any trace of its passage.
