11 - Pavilion Aesthetic and Utility
The current structure is sited where the Japanese tea house from the 1933 Century of Progress was installed. This azumaya or pavilion is not of the same quality as the main gate and is in need of major structural repair or removal in the near future. The upper portion of the garden behind the azumaya is well maintained, but does not have the same feeling as the garden area surrounding the pond.
All of the pathways in the future teahouse and garden expansion area will need to be changed to a combination of stone paving and stepping stones. This will be determined when a complete design of the new tea house and attending garden features has been completed.
The current pavilion (azumaya) does not have the level of authenticity the garden deserves and is in need of repair. The best option is to remove the pavilion and replace it with a tea house and garden. The precepts of the Japanese tea ceremony and the message of peace offered by SKYLANDING align nicely and will prove to be an attractive destination especially when considering the proximity of the Obama Presidential Center and the guests it will bring.
As Okakura Kakuzo professed in The Book of Tea, tea truly is the cup of humanity. The current location of the azumaya and garden area to the south would compose the area. The tea house and garden would have a light separation from the main garden using a lattice style bamboo fence (yotsume gaki) an additional gate (chumon) a waiting bench (koshikake machiai) and a rebuilt area for ritual purification (tsukubai). Pathways would be changed from stone chip to stone paving (nobedan) and stepping stones. Planting schemes prefer a much higher ratio of evergreen planting. Then of course the tea house (chashitsu). Perhaps a 10 mat room for larger gatherings and a 4 ½ mat room for more intimate affairs. A small kitchen area (mizuya) is also required.
Despite the preference for natural materials and understated appearance, the tea house and surroundings is very expensive to build and maintain. It is not recommended to be open all of the time without some sort of attendant and/or pre-knowledge by the guest of how to use it. This structure is not limited for use for only the tea ceremony, but might be used as a salon environment for discussions on almost any subject. To me, nothing displays taste and refinement like the tea house and garden. It provides an excellent teaching tool on a wide variety of topics.
John Powell, Master Gardener, 2016
