What’s at the end of your garden path? As the UK’s summers get longer and hotter, the nation’s al fresco ambitions are also rising. That’s why, if you want to impress, a simple garden shed won’t cut it. These architect-designed pavilions are personal sanctuaries, designed for enjoying hobbies and nature.
Built for an art collector and DJ, Exeter Road Pavilion (pictured top) is a storage unit for records, books and art attached to the extension of a Victorian house in north London. The client also wanted to use it as a covered space to host get-togethers. Crafted from steel by architecture practice Neiheiser Argyros, the pavilion has floor-to-ceiling cabinets and wood-lined niches for display. neiheiserargyros.com
Designed as a garden sanctuary for a previous RHS Chelsea Flower Show by Koto and Tony Woods of Garden Club London, this cabin is one for nature enthusiasts, with its tranquil water surroundings and emphasis on sustainability. The carbon-neutral structure, which was decorated inside with a St Leo-plaster finish and furniture from Menu, inspired the ‘Niwa’ series of flat-pack modular cabins by Koto. The dark exterior is made using charred Iro-timber decking boards. koto.co.uk; gardenclublondon.co.uk
Clad in untreated Western red cedar, this structure by Mustard Architects is used as an art studio by a client who needed a light-filled space for painting. Large vertical windows punctuate the wood, allowing dappled sunlight to enter and also giving the artist owner a pleasant view across the garden and back to their house. Soft tones continue indoors, with silver-birch-plywood walls and a light-concrete floor. mustardarchitects.com
Ceramic artist Raina Lee and architect Mark Watanabe turned the cabin at the end of their Los Angeles garden into a showcase for her pottery, complete with display shelves built from salvaged wood. Much like a treehouse, the 6.3-square-metre structure is accessed via a series of steps and a narrow wooden bridge, making it feel secluded – a special hideaway where its owners can find both peace and inspiration. rainajlee.com
One of two bespoke pavilions installed in this sloping garden in Rheinland-Pfalz, this is built from natural stone, a material that landscape gardener and former engineer Peter Berg selected for its versatility and low-maintenance qualities. Combined with a green roof planted with thyme and short grasses, the choice allows the structure to blend effortlessly into its surroundings of dark rock and lush planting. gartenlandschaft.com
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Accessed via a sliding door, this garden cabin by architect Nic Howett bucks the trend for neutral designs, instead making a bold case for colour-blocking. Set on an irregular plot on the site of a former shed, the lightweight timber structure was created as an affordable, well-proportioned workspace for an artist. Supported by nine screw-pile foundations, it has a plywood interior and a skylight that echoes the yellow-framed window. nichowett.co.uk
While renovating a townhouse in Lisbon, British architecture agency McLean Quinlan decided to add a timber-lined pool house to the lawn, giving the homeowners a place to shower and change before using their new gym, steam room and sauna. Matching materials in the main house, the pavilion features Douglas-fir detailing and a pared-back palette. mcleanquinlan.com
The Intelligent Garden and Building, created jointly by Je Ahn, founder of architecture practice Studio Weave, landscape designer Tom Massey and furniture maker Sebastian Cox, is a masterclass in sustainability. It’s made from locally felled ash and a mushroom mycelium grown at Cox’s workshop in Kent. Designed for last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, it has since found a permanent home in Manchester’s Mayfield Park. sebastiancox.co.uk; studioweave.com; tommassey.co.uk
