Clara Delgado’s work can be tedious, but it requires meticulous care.
Clara Delgado applies a four-inch-square patch of 23.75 karat gold leaf to the interior of the Royal Thai Pavilion. Gold work began in March and is likely to be completed by this fall.
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Restoration workers from Kalam and representatives from the city of Madison and Olbrich Botanical Gardens check out the progress Wednesday on the more than yearlong, $1.6 million restoration of the Royal Thai Pavilion.
The Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens has been shrouded in a tarp since last August. Its restoration is scheduled to be completed this fall.
Clara Delgado, a Spanish artisan who specializes the application of gold leaf, works Wednesday on the Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. The $1.6 million project that began in 2023 has also replaced failing roof tiles and replaced broken glass work on the pavilion that was completed in 2002 as a gift from UW-Madison alumni in Thailand.
The Royal Thai Pavilion is getting brighter by the day as 23.75 karat gold leaf is applied to the 22-year-old structure.
Wearing a hard hat saved from the 2001 and 2002 reconstruction of the Royal Thai Pavilion is Kim Santiago, who at that time was director of International Alumni Relations at UW-Madison. She is a frequent visitor to the pavilion and was on hand Wednesday for a tour of the pavilion's restoration.
Photos: The restoration of the Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Royal Thai Pavilion
Clara Delgado applies a four-inch-square patch of 23.75 karat gold leaf to the interior of the Royal Thai Pavilion. Gold work began in March and is likely to be completed by this fall.
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As a restoration of the Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wis. progresses inside, the structure, pictured Wednesday, June 12, 2024 will remain shielded in tarp and hidden from the view of the garden’s visitors until fall when the project is expected to be completed. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
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Tanya Zastrow, executive director of Olbrich Botanical Gardens, lef, and Amy Scanlon of the City of Madison Engineering Department view newly-replaced roof tiles on the Royal Thai Pavilion at gardens in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, June 12, 2024. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Royal Thai Pavilion
Clara Delgado, a Spanish artisan who specializes the application of gold leaf, works Wednesday on the Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. The $1.6 million project that began in 2023 has also replaced failing roof tiles and replaced broken glass work on the pavilion that was completed in 2002 as a gift from UW-Madison alumni in Thailand.
Thai Pavilion 11-06132024145752.jpg
Clara Delgado applies gold leaf to the interior of the Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wis. as a $1.4 million restoration of the structure progresses Wednesday, June 12, 2024. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Thai Pavilion 12-06132024145752.jpg
Clara Delgado applies gold leaf to the interior of the Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wis. as a $1.4 million restoration of the structure progresses Wednesday, June 12, 2024. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Royal Thai Pavilion
Clara Delgado applies gold leaf to the southeast end of the Royal Thai Pavilion. Delgado has worked on projects around the world for the past 30 years but this is her first time working on a Thai pavilion.
Royal Thai Pavilion
The Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens has been shrouded in a tarp since last August. Its restoration is scheduled to be completed this fall.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Restoration workers from Kalam and representatives from the city of Madison and Olbrich Botanical Gardens check out the progress Wednesday on the more than yearlong, $1.6 million restoration of the Royal Thai Pavilion.
Thai Pavilion 08-06132024145752.jpg
Recently-restored exterior carved wood elements of the Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens await installation at the structure in Madison, Wis. Wednesday, June 12, 2024. JOHN HART, STATE JOURNAL
Royal Thai Pavilion
The Royal Thai Pavilion is getting brighter by the day as 23.75 karat gold leaf is applied to the 22-year-old structure.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Wearing a hard hat saved from the 2001 and 2002 reconstruction of the Royal Thai Pavilion is Kim Santiago, who at that time was director of International Alumni Relations at UW-Madison. She is a frequent visitor to the pavilion and was on hand Wednesday for a tour of the pavilion's restoration.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Scaffolding surrounds the roof of the Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens as it undergoes restoration in Madison.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Hundreds of the old clay roof tiles contain messages of peace from community members who helped assemble the pavilion in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens during roof renovations in Madison.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Scaffolding and the Royal Thai Pavilion are covered in waterproof tarps so restoration crews can work away from the elements.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Javier de la Calle, managing director of Kalam, shows where new, nonporous, clay roof tiles will be placed on the Royal Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Some of the pavilion's tiles absorbed water and cracked over the years. The new tiles, made in Spain, are designed to be impermeable.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Protective lead is wrapped around pieces of wood that will be used on the roof peaks of the Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens.
Royal Thai Pavilion
The main floor of the open air Royal Thai Pavilion has been transformed into a workshop as the roof tiles and lead coverings are replaced.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Javier de la Calle, left, managing director with Kalam, and Tanya Zastrow, Olbrich Botanical Gardens executive director, walk on scaffolding during a tour of the restoration of the Royal Thai Pavilion. Clay tiles made in Spain will eventually hang on the black, wooden slats.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Scaffolding surrounds the top of the Royal Thai Pavilion to provide access for restoration work. Each clay roof tile has a nub that allows it to hang on the horizontal wooden slats.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Scaffolding surrounds the roof of the Thai Pavilion.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Detail of the Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens that is being restored in Madison.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Scaffolding surrounds the roof of the Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Botanical Gardens as it undergoes restoration in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Royal Thai Pavilion
Scaffolding surrounds the top of the Royal Thai Pavilion to provide access for restoration work. Each clay roof tile has a nub that allows it to hang on the horizontal wooden slats.
Royal Thai Pavilion
Katy Nodolf, public relations and marketing at Olbrich Botanical Gardens, walks on the bridge across from the Thai Pavilion that is being restored in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Royal Thai Pavilion
Fernando Aranda, Kalam's senior site manager, wraps pieces of wood with protective lead that will be used on the roof peaks of the Royal Thai Pavilion.
Thai Pavilion
Although work will likely start on the exterior roof of the Royal Thai Pavilion this fall, restoration of some of the interior details is not expected until spring.
Thai Pavilion
Horticulturist Dan Schuknecht retrieves a roof tile from the Royal Thai Pavilion that had fallen into a drained pool in the Thai Garden at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Restoration work is expected soon on the pavilion roof.
Roof tiles 2
Horticulturist Dan Schuknecht, seen here in September, retrieves a roof tile from the Royal Thai Pavilion that had fallen into a drained pool in the Thai Garden at Olbrich Botanical Gardens.
Barry Adams covers regional news for the Wisconsin State Journal. Send him ideas for On Wisconsin at 608-252-6148 or by email at badams@madison.com.
