Sensory Pavilion


Sensory Pavilion, on approach
Tucked into the hillside of Mount Oread, the Sensory Garden is a beloved space for the Audio-Reader Network, designed to awaken and engage the senses. Fragrant herbs and vibrant flowers fill raised beds accessible to all, while soft-textured plants like Lamb’s Ear intermingle with the scents of mint and lavender. Wind chimes and birdsong provide a gentle auditory backdrop, and a winding brick path leads from the main building through the garden to its shaded corner—once home to a deteriorating gazebo.

In response, Dirt Works Studio designed the Sensory Pavilion, a new structure that honors the garden’s intent while providing a lasting, immersive experience. The pavilion features a compacted earth floor; three low rammed earth walls and a nine-foot-tall rammed earth column; a charred cedar screen wall; built-in cedar benches; and a mass timber roof clad in powder-coated steel shingles. All elements interlock: benches connect seamlessly with the screen and earth walls, which tie into the overhead structure.

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by the crunch of gravel, the earthy scent of rammed earth, and the smoky aroma of charred wood. The contrasting textures and temperatures of the materials heighten the sensory experience, while dappled light dances beneath the descending canopy. The cedar screen filters views of the garden and softens sunlight, while diagonal steel rods add rhythm and support the cantilevered roof.

The Sensory Pavilion is more than a replacement—it’s a sculptural extension of the garden itself, offering a place of rest, reflection, and connection with the natural world.
Year: 2016
Location: Lawrence, Kansas
Course: Arch 509 Designbuild Studio
Instructor: Chad Kraus (Dirt Works Studio)

Location: Audio-Reader's Sensory Garden

Students: Anna Collins, Kelli Dillion, Nick Faust, Patrick Griffin, Tanner Hyland, Alexa Kaczor, Joseph Kaftan, Stephen McEnery, Caitlin McKaughan, Jeshua Monarres, Jarad  Mundil, Dillon Park, Spencer Reed, Shummer Roddick, McKenzie Samp, Mitchell Starrs, Elayna Svigos, Hannah Underwood, Jeremy Weiland
Partner/Client: Audio Reader Network
Structural Engineer: Apex Engineers
Vendors: Hamm Quarry, Monarch Cement Company, HMC Performance Coatings, Diamond Everly, Prosoco, Seibel Fabrication, Wood Haven
Awards: WA Awards, World Architecture Community; Architect’s Newspaper Best of Design; ArchDaily’s Best Student Design-Build Worldwide; 
Media: "Explore the Sensory Pavilion Designed by KU Students" <video>; "Dirt Works Studio: The Movie" <video>; "The Best Student Design-Build Projects Worldwide 2016", Arch Daily; "2016 Best of Design Award for Student Work: Sensory Pavilion by Dirt Works Studio, University of Kansas", The Architect's Newspaper; "Sensory Pavilion", Live Projects Network