Como Park Picnic Pavilion

St. Paul, MN

A new community picnic site was planned in Como Park adjacent to the Como Park Zoo, the Como Park Conservatory, an amusement park and community ballfields. The new facility has two separate picnic pavilions that each have kitchen facilities and seat 150 people.

The service elements of the program are housed in the masonry enclosures on the west end of the roof structure. A separate maintenance facility with public restrooms is adjacent to the pavilions. The design inspiration for this elegant structure was derived from the form of a butterfly spreading its wings. The delicate curved forms create a welcoming environment for guests and their activities.

The simple roof structure exposes the steel beams and wood purlins to provide a highly crafted aesthetic expression. The ridge incorporates a continuous skylight detail to create a bright daylit space. The simple alternating colors of the floor plane provide an organizing expression for the complex of these three public structures.

Industry: Government