On a formerly oddly empty plot of land in Haymarket is a temporary exhibition pavilion. It’s all part of a large development of the area which is a mix of Edwardian and 1960s offices and shops, and being revamped into the modern desire for cafes and so-called “destination shopping”.
The Pavilion opened recently, and while it looks like a permanent development, there’s currently a planning application to demolish most of the 1960s office that it sits on the corner of and replace it with a, well, rather marmite building — you’ll either love or loathe it.
In the meantime, there’s this dark stone and bronze detailed pavilion. Do look up, as the ceiling of the pavilion has been inlaid with decorated gold leaf cladding showing wheat fields — a former form of currency in the St James’s Market.
It’s really more of a showroom for the local shops, so all rather posh and fine wares in glass cases, but the overall effect is quite appealing.
It was designed by Studio Weave as part of the development’s public art commissions, and is said by them to be inspired by the old Safe Deposit vaults that used to be near the site.
The really irksome thing is that, even accepting its temporary nature, that they didn’t fix the height so that it could be step-free access. Seems very odd in this day and age that anything could be built that isn’t accessible.