The Story of the Chinese Pavilion - By Pam Kupsch
Let me tell you a little story of how our Chinese Pavilion came to pass. It all started with a trip to Japan in 2005 and a visit to the Kobe Friendship Garden and in the Chinese section Maurie spotted just the pavilion he was looking for. So, with a view to having something like that at Emu Valley, Maurie took numerous pictures, later shown to members on his return with the comment “This is our next project” much to the horror of our infrastructure committee at the time!
Well…. Maurie still hankered after “a similar structure” and mulled it over and over in his mind and looking at many books to come up with a simplified version, a version that our committee members could construct and a size which would suit the site selected.
Plans were drawn up to satisfy building regulations, the site was cleared, concrete was poured for the base of the gabion wall and the gabions were installed. With approval given the foundations were dug and the concrete poured. Once the concrete cured the centre of the six columns was marked out and 40mm diameter holes were drilled. These holes then had 32mm deformed bar installed ready to accept the bases of the columns. Timber was sourced from a local supplier, which included material for the columns. This material was cut to length; holes drilled each end, painted and put to one side. The main beams were laminated using 5 pieces of timber then machined to an equal size, the ends shaped and machined so they would make a hexagonal shape all on the one plane. Templates were made for the smaller components they were then used to mark out the shapes required. Most of these were cut from offcuts saved from the large, laminated beams used in the main building.
Many other sets of beams were constructed – some from round treated pine others laminated and machined to size. All this was achieved under the main building in cramped conditions. As each set of beams was completed, they were painted and set aside to have the final embellishments added. This done they were assembled to the stage of finishing one sixth of the roof ready to receive tiles. The authentic tiles were made and shipped to us from Taiwan.
Due to the cramped conditions the complete structure needed to be dismantled and reconstructed outside the building where the other five roof sections were completed with a large tarpaulin erected to keep out the rain. At the site scaffolding was erected in readiness.
The big day arrived – 4th February 2014 – when the six columns were taken down and placed in position – crane hired to lift the roof in two sections onto a truck to be transported through the garden to the site. The main beam section was lifted into position and bolted down then the top section arrived and was screwed down. Hooray! The giant jigsaw FITTED PERFECTLY!
Over the next couple of weeks, the tiles were transported to site, cut to shape and fitted. Once the columns were plumbed and glued into position the lattice was made and fitted. The scaffolding was finally removed enabling the seats to be made and fitted to the structure. A final paint touch- up and we now have a Chinese pavilion or more affectionately known as “THE PAV”!
WOW! What a tremendous effort by the team of people who made this happen. It does not take long to tell the story but it took many, many months of sketching, trial and error manufacturing, hours and hours of work by our talented artists and painters but what a relief to finally see it completed!
