Serpentine and the LEGO Group unveil the Play Pavilion designed by Sir Peter Cook in London’s Kensington Gardens. The public art project coincides with World Play Day on June 11th, 2025, and rightfully so with the playful and vibrant flair of the pavilion. It is on view from June 11th to August 10th, 2025. The only orange on the horizon, the Play Pavilion by Sir Peter Cook partially comes to life with the use of LEGO bricks. Outside, these colorful blocks create protruding, tactile installations resembling topography. A kaleidoscopic roof shaped like a small bowl cocoons the architecture, colored in orange to match the similar shade of the base. Around the pavilion, the walls have slopes and peaks, mimicking the waves crashing onto the shore while creating different openings and exits. 

Anyone can run their hands along them and feel the LEGO-brick installations on the walls before they step inside the Play Pavilion. Here, sunlight passes through the openings because Sir Peter Cook didn’t join the roofing to the base. Air and light, then, flow in and out, and people can see the outside from inside. The use of LEGO bricks continues inside. The central pillar is reminiscent of a towering robot, a quiet sentry that surveys the space to check if everyone’s enjoying their time. To exit the structure, visitors can either walk towards one of the openings or use the yellow slide on the other side. On one of the walls, there’s a brick-built board and a treasure of LEGO blocks just below it, so visitors can pick up pieces, pin them onto the interactive structure, and shape them into how they want them to be. It’s the essence of the LEGO-built Play Pavilion, an intentional design by Sir Peter Cook.

The Play Pavilion, designed by Peter Cook (Peter Cook Studio Crablab), in collaboration with Serpentine and the LEGO Group © Peter Cook (Peter Cook Studio Crablab) | images courtesy of Serpentine; photos by Andy Stagg, unless stated otherwise

live activations throughout the summer of 2025

Sir Peter Cook describes the Play Pavilion with LEGO brick designs as a piece of theater, but the structure can recall the form of an observatory, too. From afar, the geometric roof already announces the presence of the orange playground. As visitors walk up closer to it, they then see the partly obscured body that completes it. In a location full of greenery, the Play Pavilion breathes in a refreshed life, luring in the visitors to come closer and find out more within. In the words of the architect, ‘a child might pop out on a slide, another may crawl through a hole on the ground, mystifying conventional entrance routes. Another mouth-shaped opening reveals an orator, performer, or singer entertaining eavesdroppers beyond.’

The LEGO-built Play Pavilion by Sir Peter Cook continues the series of programs presented by Serpentine. In 2022, Serpentine, the London Lions Basketball Club, and artist Alvaro Barrington partnered with CONSUL, Tower Hamlets Council, and Weavers Adventure Playground in Bethnal Green to create a basketball court. Today, it’s an orange pavilion that doubles as public art, with walls that present a series of tactile installations. For the gallery, these new initiatives bring together artists, designers, architects, and creatives to champion the spirit of play and community. The LEGO-built Play Pavilion by Sir Peter Cook is a platform for live activations throughout the summer of 2025.

view of the slide at the pavilion

the roof has a geometric design and a similar shade of the base

the walls present a series of tactile installations

inside, there’s a board where visitors can pin the LEGO bricks

portrait of Sir Peter Cook | photo by Gary Summers

Sir Peter Cook designs the pavilion commission for Serpentine and the LEGO Group | photo by Gary Summers

project info:

name: Play Pavilion

architect: Sir Peter Cook | @sirpetercook

team: Pablo Wheldon, Cong Ding

program: Serpentine Galleries | @serpentineuk

collaborator: LEGO Group | @lego

on view: June 11th to August 10th, 2025

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Opening to the public on June 6th and on view through October 26th, the 2025 Serpentine Pavilion by Marina Tabassum Architects is now complete in London’s Kensington Gardens. Marking the 25th anniversary of the Serpentine’s architectural program, the pavilion, titled A Capsule in Time, explores themes of impermanence, tactility, and light through a modular, timber-built structure designed to move, adapt, and ultimately disappear. Ahead of the opening, Marina Tabassum discusses with designboom the ideas that shaped this year’s design.‘The pavilion is called A Capsule in Time for many reasons,’ Tabassum tells us during our interview. ‘One is that I find the connection between architecture and time quite intriguing (…) pavilions have a temporality, which is not about time but about a moment—to embrace and enjoy it.’

Aligned with Serpentine South’s historic bell tower, the elongated north-south structure is composed of four translucent capsules that dapple the space with shifting light. Tabassum draws inspiration from the hydrologic landscapes of Bangladesh, where ‘land constantly moves—it’s a situation where sand beds form, water takes the land away, and then it recreates it.’ This ephemerality is echoed in the building’s material choices. The architect works entirely in wood for the first time, not only for its dry-construction potential and future reuse, but also for its local availability. ‘We haven’t worked entirely with wood before because wood is not a material in Bangladesh as such… but here, it made sense,’ she explains.

Serpentine Pavilion 2025 A Capsule in Time, designed by Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA). exterior view. © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

inside ‘a capsule in time’, knowledge can be shared freely

A kinetic capsule embedded within the Serpentine Pavilion structure allows parts of the pavilion to shift and expand for public programming. ‘It’s a movable part of the structure that can shift and connect with another section to create a larger, covered space. That’s where the kinetic element comes in.’ Marina Tabassum notes. At the heart of the pavilion stands a ginkgo tree—a resilient species dating back to the Jurassic Period. ‘That tree gives life to the whole pavilion,’ the architect shares with designboom. ‘Even though it’s within a park and surrounded by nature, having a tree inside the pavilion really changes the atmosphere.’

Tabassum also sees the pavilion as a place of quiet resistance, an antidote to rising global censorship. Bookshelves built into the capsules host a curated selection of texts in Bengali literature, poetry, ecology, and identity. ‘Some of them are by writers whose works have been banned in Bangladesh,’ she reveals during our discussion. ‘In a time when many books are being banned and education is being questioned (…) the very notion of knowledge feels under threat. So it felt important to bring that idea of books and knowledge into the pavilion—a space where knowledge can be shared freely.’ Continue reading to explore our full conversation with Marina Tabassum, this year’s Serpentine Pavilion architect.

marking the 25th anniversary of the Serpentine’s architectural program | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

interview with Marina Tabassum 

designboom (DB): The Pavilion is called A Capsule in Time. What does that mean to you? What kind of histories, moments, or personal elements were you hoping to capture in this structure?

Marina Tabassum (MT):  The pavilion is called A Capsule in Time for many reasons. One is that I find the connection between architecture and time quite intriguing. We started architecture as a discipline with the notion that it would last forever. It’s almost like a continuity—when you’re not there, your architecture remains. So it continues through time. Timelessness has also been a way of looking into architecture—how you can make your buildings timeless, which is about defying time. At the same time, pavilions have a temporality, which is not about time but about a moment—to embrace and enjoy it. In the case of the Serpentine, it’s there for a five-month period—nice summer days, a beautiful sunny day like today—and then it’s gone. But it has a presence in the virtual realm, which is our new reality.

Where I come from, in Bangladesh, we have this notion of land as temporal. Land constantly moves—it’s a hydrologic situation where sand beds form, water takes the land away, and then it recreates it. So this idea of land being eroded and re-emerging also carries temporality. Architecture is associated with that, because people keep moving their houses from one place to another. I also bring in my way of practice. I come from a place defined by temporality, but I’ve always been very interested in light. A nice summer day in London can be really beautiful. That light can be celebrated if we create a space that lets it through. Light is an important element in this design. It also connects to pavilion structures in Bangladesh—ones we create for weddings or religious occasions, called shamiyanas. These shamiyana structures are made of cloth and bring in beautiful light. Bringing that sense, that atmosphere, into this space was also very important to me.

exploring themes of impermanence, tactility, and light | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

DB: The translucent facade creates a play of light and shadow. What was the process behind achieving that dappled effect? Was it intentional from the start, or something that evolved along the way?

MT: The decision to bring in this very sort of translucent light into the space was intentional. That was one of the design intents. From the very beginning, that’s what we wanted for that space. But achieving that effect was a process. Initially, we were thinking of using jute and laminated jute; we looked into it and did some research.

But jute is a material that is not fire-rated, so it would not be allowed in the pavilion.

Then we had to look for something we could source locally here in London. So we settled for polycarbonate sheet with a translucent film on it. That actually helped us bring in the quality of light that we wanted. The building is maybe initiated in the Serpentine in Kensington Gardens, but it has an afterlife. That means there will be a continuity of this building in another location. So it will be used again—it won’t go into a landfill. That’s why we opted for a material of that nature.

Tabassum draws inspiration from the landscapes of Bangladesh | image by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Serpentine

DB: And what about working with wood for the first time entirely? What drew you to this material for the pavilion and how did it shape your approach?

MT: We haven’t worked entirely with wood before because wood is not a material in Bangladesh as such. The reason we used this material is because it’s something we could source locally here. And that’s one of our practice’s ethos—we like to source materials locally, where there’s also local knowledge of building. So using wood for the structure made more sense.

It’s also a dry construction. As you can imagine, it’s only here for a short period of time. That was another reason we chose a wooden structure, it can be dismantled and taken to a different location later on.

Serpentine 2025 Pavilion A Capsule in Time, designed by Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), design render, interior view | rendering © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), courtesy Serpentine

DB: The pavilion also features a kinetic element that moves and transforms the space. What inspired that idea? Were there any technical or design challenges in making it work?

MT: Not really. No, not in that sense. There was a budget challenge, but that’s always the case—nothing unusual. The main idea was to create a capsule-like form—sort of a half capsule—but we wanted it to feel more connected to the natural surroundings of the park. That’s why you see these openings or cuts in the structure: they’re designed to bring in elements of nature and create a balance between inside and outside.

The Serpentine Pavilion also serves a practical purpose. It hosts various events throughout the summer, so it was important to design a space that could accommodate around 200 people—even in rainy weather. That’s where the kinetic element comes in. It’s a movable part of the structure that can shift and connect with another section to create a larger, covered space. This allows the pavilion to expand when needed and provide shelter for bigger gatherings. So the kinetic feature had a functional reason behind it, but it also became an exciting design element—because no one had done something like that before in the Serpentine Pavilion. It adds a new and interesting layer to the experience.

the architect works entirely in wood for the first time | rendering © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), courtesy Serpentine

DB: You’ve built the pavilion around a ginkgo tree, which feels like a really meaningful choice. What led you to center the tree in the design, and how does that reflect your approach to climate-responsive architecture?

MT: Well, you know, the tree—I think that tree gives life to the whole pavilion. Otherwise, it’s a very archaic structural form. But the moment we brought in the tree, it transformed the space. Even though it’s within a park and surrounded by nature, having a tree inside the pavilion really changes the atmosphere. It brings life, and it gives the space a more intimate scale. That became one of the essential elements of the entire design. We really wanted to incorporate nature—not just to serve people, but to create a space that also celebrates nature. We were thoughtful about what kind of tree it should be. The idea was that once the pavilion is dismantled, the tree would be replanted somewhere in the park so it can continue to live.

We needed a tree that was strong and rugged, something that could withstand being transported and replanted. At the same time, it needed to be compatible with the plant community already in the park. So we looked for something that could meet all of those needs—but also something beautiful and light, that would sit harmoniously inside the pavilion. That’s how we chose the ginkgo tree. It has a beautiful, fan-shaped leaf—very sculptural, which I really loved. And towards the end of the season, in September or October, the leaves turn this beautiful yellow. So we’ll hopefully see that transformation as the pavilion nears its end. It’s poetic in a way—sustainability and poetry coming together in one gesture.

the structure allows parts of the pavilion to shift and expand | rendering © Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), courtesy Serpentine

DB: In times of rising censorship, you’ve spoken about knowledge-sharing. How does the pavilion become a tool for resistance, if at all?

MT: Well, knowledge sharing is an important part of our practice—especially wherever we build. In the houses we’re building now, we try to work closely with the community. We share building knowledge with people so they’re able to eventually build on their own. That’s a core part of our approach. And the way we wanted to bring that idea of knowledge sharing into the pavilion was by introducing a small library alongside the café. We’re bringing in a range of books—different kinds of books.

Some of them are by writers whose works have been banned in Bangladesh. So you’ll see some of those there too. The idea is that, in a time when many books are being banned and education is being questioned or restructured in different parts of the world, the very notion of knowledge feels under threat. So it felt important to bring that idea of books and knowledge into the pavilion—a space where knowledge can be shared freely. We also want it to be a space for dialogue, where people can come together and, despite all our differences, celebrate our uniqueness.

Marina Tabassum portrait | image © Asif Salman

project info: 

name: A Capsule in Time
architect: Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) | @marinatabassum
location: Serpentine South, Kensington Gardens, London, UK

event: Serpentine Pavilion | @serpentineuk
dates: June 6th – October 26th 2025

The post marina tabassum on designing the 2025 serpentine pavilion as it opens in london appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Never one to shy away from the unexpected, the architectural provocateur Sir Peter Cook is teaming up with Serpentine and the LEGO Group to bring the Play Pavilion to London’s Kensington Gardens. The project is designed as an immersive, riotous celebration of fun, one of architecture’s most under-appreciated function. Set to be unveiled on June 11th, 2025 — World Play Day — the new pavilion will pop with color, form, and irreverence to prove that play, like good design, thrives on risk and curiosity.

Peter Cook’s pavilion will be a theatrical performance in Kensington Gardens. With its colorful gestures, it appears to have hatched from an anarchic sketchbook. ‘The Play Pavilion is a piece of theatre,’ says Cook. ‘From a distance, intriguing shapes rise from within the structure… A child might pop out on a slide, another may crawl through a hole on the ground.’

It’s less a static structure and more a living cartoon — teasing, hiding, revealing. Through pierced and scooped walls, visitors can glimpse flashes of activity inside and echoes of laughter. It invites Brits and tourists alike to embrace the strange.

the pavilions celebrates architecture as a space for fun | visualizations courtesy Serpentine Galleries

serpentine galleries and lego transcend the White Cube

By teaming with architect Sir Peter Cook and LEGO Group, Serpentine expands its reach beyond the gallery’s clean-lined walls and into the messier, livelier reality of the park. ‘We are thrilled to be collaborating with the LEGO Group… to realise the vision for play we all share with Peter Cook,’ said Serpentine’s Chief Executive Bettina Korek and Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist in a joint statement. ‘Zaha Hadid long envisioned a collaboration between Serpentine and Peter Cook… Now, that vision is becoming a reality.’ In this playful detour, architecture escapes the exhibition and becomes a real-world encounter, situated directly in Kensington Gardens.

The LEGO Group’s involvement is more than decorative. LEGO bricks form a key material in the pavilion’s composition, turning the familiar building block into a full-scale architectural gesture. ‘Play is not just a source of joy; it fosters connection and encourages exploration,’ said Julia Goldin, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group. Indeed, the Play Pavilion becomes a tactile and communal space, where visitors are drawn into a three-dimensional celebration of imagination — something Cook has long championed.

Peter Cook describes the structure as a piece of theater designed to intrigue

a continuation of legendary Radical Design

As a founding member of Archigram, Sir Peter Cook famously redrew the boundaries of architectural possibility. With speculative projects like Plug-In City, he and his peers imagined flexible, kinetic cities built on modular systems and social ideals. While many of Archigram’s ideas remained unbuilt, Cook’s influence has been profound. The Play Pavilion nods to that legacy — transforming fantastical forms into lived experience. It joins a growing list of realized works by Cook, including Kunsthaus Graz in Austria and the Drawing Studio at Arts University Bournemouth. And yet, this project might be his most accessible to date. It’s a democratic monument to fun and unpredictability.

Throughout the summer, the Play Pavilion will host live activations from performances to public programs. Visitors will be invited to engage not just with the architecture, but with each other. Peter Cook sums it up best: ‘Play transcends survival, achievement, and common sense.’ In a world often over-engineered for efficiency, the Play Pavilion is radical. Visitors are challenged to waste time well. Whether you’re crawling through a mouth-shaped opening or simply eavesdropping on a hidden orator, you’re part of the performance.

LEGO bricks are incorporated into the design to highlight the power of play and collaboration

Peter Cook, portrait © Paul McLaughlin

 

 

 

 

 

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project info:

name: Play Pavilion

architect: Sir Peter Cook | @sirpetercook

program: Serpentine Galleries | @serpentineuk

collaborator: LEGO Group | @lego

on view: June 11th — August 10th, 2025

visualizations: courtesy Serpentine Galleries

The post serpentine taps sir peter cook and LEGO for radical ‘play pavilion’ in london appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum, founder of Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), was selected to design the 2025 Serpentine Pavilion, titled A Capsule in Time. Opening on June 6, 2025, at Serpentine South in London’s Kensington Gardens, the pavilion commemorates the 25th anniversary of the series. The commission continues the experimental spirit of Zaha Hadid, whose mantra, ‘There should be no end to experimentation,’ remains foundational to the program.

Inspired by the ephemeral architecture of South Asia and the organic forms of garden canopies, A Capsule in Time features an elongated, north-south structure that aligns with Serpentine South’s historic bell tower. Four wooden capsules with translucent facades create dappled lighting effects, reminiscent of sunlight filtering through foliage. The Pavilion also marks Tabassum’s first construction built entirely from wood, a material choice that emphasizes tactility, impermanence, and lightness. At its heart, a kinetic element allows one capsule to move and transform the space, offering visitors new ways to interact with the space. ‘The relationship between time and architecture is intriguing: between permanence and impermanence, of birth, age and ruin; architecture aspires to outlive time. Architecture is a tool to live behind legacies, fulfilling the inherent human desire for continuity beyond life,’ explains Marina Tabassum. ‘The Serpentine Pavilion offers a unique platform under the summer sun to unite as people rich in diversity.’

all images courtesy of Marina Tabassum and Serpentine

A Capsule in Time embraces the human desire for connection

Marina Tabassum is internationally recognized for her climate-conscious, socially engaged practice. Her studio, MTA, has pioneered modular, mobile housing solutions such as Khudi Bari (Small House), designed to support communities vulnerable to climate change along the rivers of Bangladesh. Known for blending contemporary design with regional history and culture, Tabassum describes her Pavilion as a ‘capsule of memory and time,’ evoking the transience of architecture in the Bengal delta while embracing the universal human desire for continuity and connection.

‘A Capsule in Time will honour connections with the Earth and celebrate the spirit of community. Built around a mature tree at the centre of the structure, Tabassum’s design will bring the park inside the Pavilion,’ add Bettina Korek, Chief Executive, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of Serpentine. ‘This is a milestone year for the Serpentine Pavilion Commission as we celebrate 25 years since the inception of this prestigious program.’  The chosen tree is a semi-mature ginkgo—a resilient species dating back to the Jurassic Period, known for its high tolerance to climate change and resistance to pests and diseases. Over the course of summer into autumn, its fan-like leaves will gradually shift from green to luminous gold. After the Pavilion closes in October, the Ginkgo will be replanted in Kensington Gardens as a lasting contribution to the park’s ecosystem.

A Capsule in Time features an elongated structure that aligns with Serpentine South’s historic bell tower

a potential future afterlife for the structure

In an era of increasing censorship, Tabassum envisions the Pavilion as a space for open dialogue and collective learning. Her team at MTA has curated a selection of books celebrating Bengali literature, culture, poetry, ecology, and identity. These will be housed on bookshelves embedded within the structure, reinforcing its potential afterlife as a mobile library or community archive — a physical capsule of knowledge and exchange.

To accompany the Serpentine Pavilion, Serpentine and Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther und Franz König will co-publish a catalogue in July 2025, designed by Wolfe Hall. Richly illustrated and multidimensional in scope, the publication includes essays by art and architecture historian Perween Hasan, Yale Architecture Dean Deborah Berke, and critic Thomas de Monchaux, contributions from Shumon Basar and artists Rana Begum and Naeem Mohaiemen,  and sketches from Tabassum’s own notebooks. It also features a photo essay by Iwan Baan and in-depth conversations with both Hans Ulrich Obrist and David Chipperfield, tracing the Pavilion’s conceptual and material evolution.

four wooden capsules with translucent facades create dappled lighting effects

Marina Tabassum is internationally recognized for her climate-conscious, socially engaged practice

project info: 

name: A Capsule in Time
architect: Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) | @marinatabassum
location: Serpentine South, Kensington Gardens, London, UK

event: Serpentine Pavilion | @serpentineuk
opening date: June 6, 2025

The post marina tabassum reveals ‘a capsule in time’, her design for the 2025 serpentine pavilion appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Through the lens of William Mulvihill, the ‘Context, Form, and Light’ exhibition at Tongji University in Shanghai examines the fundamental principles that shape architecture. Timed with the Spanish Biennale BEAU XVI’s visit to the city, the exhibition showcases how buildings engage with their surroundings, transform functional needs into powerful forms, and harness light to shape spaces and evoke emotion.

The photographer curates a collection of global projects that illustrate this interplay, from modernist icons to recent institutional developments. The imposing presence of Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira’s concrete structures in Korea are captured as they peer through their wooded sites, while light gently pierces through Theaster Gates’ 2022 Serpentine Pavilion — a black enclosure inviting meditative moments of rest in London. David Chipperfield’s geometric facade and concrete arches too reactivate a former administrative building into an open space for the public in Paris.

all images courtesy of William Mulvihill

the exhibition spotlights fundamental principles of architecture

Hosted at Tongji University’s Sino-Spanish Campus, ‘Context, Form, and Light’ avoids definitive narratives, instead allowing viewers to determine how each photograph resonates with their understanding of these principles. Whether focusing on the dynamic role of light, the relationship to context, or the discipline of form, the exhibition encourages a deeper appreciation of architecture’s complexities as a multisensory discipline. Spotlighting the creations of Le Corbusier, Sanaa, estudio Herreros, Herzog & de Meuron, and more, the exhibition draws attention to architecture’s relationship with context. Viewers are challenged to see buildings not as mere isolated objects but as part of a broader urban or natural environment.

William Mulvihill’s photographs highlight forms that engage in continuous dialogue with their built and natural environments while speaking to their cultural contexts — including those that soften or land with sculptural presences. At the same time, the work underscores the precision and intentionality of form itself. From geometric clarity to expressive structures, the images celebrate the rigor of architectural design and its capacity to merge utility with beauty. Light is central to this photographic exploration, with the photographer revealing how it animates spaces and transforms surfaces throughout the day. By framing light as both a functional and poetic material, the photographer captures its role in shaping atmosphere, depth, and emotional resonance across spaces, from icons of modernism to recent commercial developments.

Okurayama Apartments by Kazuyo Sejima & Associates

Grace Farms by SANAA

Teshima Art Museum by Ryun Nishizawa

Robert Olnick Pavilion by Alberto Campo Baeza and MQ Architecture

Linked Hybrid by Steven Holl Architects

Centre Pompidou by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers

National Taiwan University by Toyo Ito

Museum SAN by Tadao Ando & Associates

William Mulvihill opens ‘Context, Gorm, and Light’ in Shanghai

exhibited at Tongji University in Shanghai

the photographer curates a collection of global projects, from modernist icons to recent institutional developments

project info:

name: Context, Form, and Light

photographer: William Mulvihill | @williamulvihill

location: Yunchou Building, First Floor, Sino-Spanish Campus, Tongji University, Shanghai

dates: December 11th – 16th, 2024

The post william mulvihill captures works by le corbusier, álvaro siza, & more at shanghai exhibition appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

This Autumn, Serpentine Galleries has unveiled a new site-specific mural by Ndebele visual artist Esther Mahlangu. On view in the garden at Serpentine North from October 4th, 2024 to September 28th, 2025, the monumental vibrant painting, supported by BMW Group and other institutions, celebrates concepts of community and unity. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, which translates directly from Ndebele as ‘I am because you are’, marks the artist’s first public artwork in the UK. 

Esther Mahlangu, Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, 2024. Serpentine North Garden, 4 October 2024 – 28 September 2025 | image © George Darrell, courtesy Serpentine and The Melrose Gallery

reflecting Ndebele shapes and patterns

Celebrated for her brightly colored geometric paintings rooted in matrilineal Ndebele culture, Dr Esther Mahlangu (b. 1935, South Africa) has been creating large-scale and site-specific works for over eight decades. The artist began painting at the age of ten, learning the Ndebele techniques and visual language of covering houses in bold patterns from her mother and grandmother, as seen in her large-scale mural at the Serpentine garden. 

‘When we visited Esther in South Africa, ]ne of the first things she told us is that painting is in her heart and in her blood; painting is like breathing, something she has always done. […] She created a repertoire of recurring shapes that eventually migrated from the walls to canvases, and sculptures. And these forms actually are signs of an entire cosmology, which she condensed into an artistic language that was born from her village,’ explains Serpentine’s artistic director Hans Ulrich Obrist. 

image © George Darrell

Mahlangu uses natural pigments mixed with clay, soil and cow dung to paint directly on the exteriors of structures in her village. Rather than using stencils and tape to achieve lines and shapes, she paints by hand with chicken feathers and an array of different brushes. The artist also works with acrylic paints on canvas, which allows her to explore different scales and a broader color palette. Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, presented in the garden at Serpentine North is painted over sixteen wooden panels, depicting Ndebele shapes and patterns outlined with a black border.

the painting is presented in the garden of Serpentine North |  image © George Darrell

Esther Mahlangu | image © Clint Strydom, courtesy The Melrose Gallery

depicting Ndebele shapes and patterns | image © George Darrell

image © Clint Strydom, courtesy The Melrose Gallery

image © designboom

project info:

name: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu

artist: Esther Mahlangu | @esthermahlanguart

location: Serpentine North, London, UK | @serpentineuk

supported by: BMW Group, The Milstein family and The Edward Lawrence Milstein Foundation, 

The Melrose Gallery 

The post esther mahlangu’s large-scale mural at serpentine marks her first public artwork in UK appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The 23rd Serpentine Pavilion takes center stage in Danica O. Kus‘ latest photographic series. Designed by Seoul-based architect Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies, this year’s pavilion, titled Archipelagic Void, comprises five’ islands,’ each unique in size, form, name, and purpose, providing a multifaceted platform for the live program from June onwards. ‘The Pavilion is not a traditional folly in British French garden culture. It is something you create that doesn’t exist in this world. It’s kind of utopian, bringing over new ways of technology,‘ Cho told designboom in a recent interview. A unique void opens up at the center of the timber design, surrounded by a series of smaller, adaptable structures at its periphery. The layout references the madang, or open courtyard, found in traditional Korean houses. Around the void, each structure becomes a distinct ‘content machine’: the Gallery, the Library, the Auditorium, the Tea House, and the Play Tower. Together, they create ten spaces — five covered and five open spaces — that integrate with the surrounding park and Pavilion activities.

all images © Danica O. Kus

mass studies’ design reveals a new atmosphere at dusk

In this photographic series, Danica O. Kus (see more here) documents the 2024 Serpentine Pavilion’s star-like morphology at dusk, presenting the temporary architecture under a completely new atmosphere. ‘This year, I was especially excited when photographing the Pavilion late when the daylight faded, and lights began to illuminate,’  the photographer notes. From the central oculus to the individual ‘islands’, the following images depict a stark transformation when transitioning from day to night, revealing a different character for the Archipelagic Void designed by Mass Studies (more here). When daylight begins to fade, the dark, steel curves become outlined in a series of warm, colored lighting engulfing each content machine. ‘I aimed to capture this transitional moment, evoking a sense of tranquillity and mystery,’ Danica O. Kus concludes. 

the 2024 Serpentine Pavilion at dusk

capturing the transition from day to night

warm lighting brings each island to life

Danica O. Kus reveals the Archipelagic Void in a new atmosphere

the 2024 Serpentine Pavilion will be open until October of this year

an orange glow enlivens the star-like morphology

the Serpentine oculus captured by Danica connects to distinct content machines

close-up shot with the gallery

project info:

name: Archipelagic Void – the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion | @serpentine_uk
architect: Minsuk Cho / Mass Studies | @mass_studies
photographer: Danica O. Kus | @danica_o_kus_photography

dates: June 7 – October 27, 2024

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The 23rd Serpentine Pavilion is complete and opens its doors to the public on June 7th, 2024. Designed by Seoul-based architect Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies, this year’s pavilion is titled Archipelagic Void. The temporary structure comprises five ‘islands,’ each unique in size, form, name, and purpose, providing a dedicated platform for Serpentine’s live program from June onwards. The pavilion features a unique void in the center, surrounded by a series of smaller, adaptable structures located at its periphery. The layout references the madang, or open courtyard, found in traditional Korean houses. Around the void, each structure of this multifaceted Pavilion is envisioned as a ‘content machine’ with a distinct name and purpose, including the Gallery, the Library, the Auditorium, the Tea House, and the Play Tower. Together, the parts create ten spaces surrounding the void: five distinct covered spaces and five open, in-between areas that integrate with the surrounding park and Pavilion activities.

To celebrate the opening of the Archipelagic Void, designboom spoke with Minsuk Cho to find out more about the inspiration behind this year’s Pavilion. ‘I want to create spaces where different people can come together in daily life, where they can just relax and feel at home. Architecture isn’t just about capturing a nice moment in a picture. It’s something you can sit on, climb on, and interact with,’ the Korean architect tells us. To delve deeper into the design’s objectives and its connection to Korean heritage, delve into the complete interview below and immerse yourself in the structure’s intricacies through the accompanying photo essay by Ste Murray.

all images by Ste Murray

interview with Minsuk Cho

designboom (DB): What was the inspiration behind the Pavilion design and what did you want to achieve with it? 

Minsuk Cho (MC): The Pavilion is not a traditional folly in British French garden culture. It is something you create that doesn’t exist in this world. It’s kind of utopian, bringing over new ways of technology: the prototype Glass Pavilion in 1914, the Buckminster Fuller domes, and the Dymaxion house in 1942. These are all very utopian ideas. I think they came from this kind of folly culture.

I look at the Pavilion with a more size-specific approach. Not just to be different. But also because I thought it had to be a kind of balancing act. We didn’t want to repeat the same story, but somehow connect it to my culture. In my culture, a pavilion isn’t so much about inventing a whole new world, but more about discovering the surroundings. It’s more organic; you have a great view with a mountain, you have beautiful rocks, and you can easily build something on top of it. Architecture isn’t really a goal, it’s just a way of looking at things, it’s more like a pointer looking at the beautiful moon, not to create a whole beautiful new world on the moon. So for me, that was a very interesting starting point.

the Archipelagic Void by Minsuk Cho

MC (continued): Then, we looked at the most concentrated areas of the space, and we thought that perhaps it was our duty to move away from them. What was available to us were the peripheries, and so we reached something like a nebula. It was a great opportunity because we actually needed two functions: a gathering space for 200 people and coffee place. I just gave them one of those as a public Tea House Pavilion. This used to be a key house in 1934, and then it became a gallery. So I thought people would like to drink here. So that’s one thing that welcomes people from the north.

Then we also built a Play Tower in the south. We wanted to bring different people together. It’s an alternate form of generosity that architecture can offer. One way it does that is by providing many choices, allowing people from all walks of life to come together. It’s similar to how Central Park designer Frederick Olmsted envisioned the park as a communal civilization and organized gregariousness. For me, that’s how we bring different people together. As we sit in the Pavilion, we’re not removed from it; we can do our own things without bothering or being bothered by what’s happening next to us. Additionally, for the Library, I designed a one-person seat. One person can sit and turn their back to the circle, facing north to avoid direct sunlight. They might put in their headphones and be completely alone. I also see this as utilizing both sides of the benches. Essentially, there are five pairs of walls that are occupiable. It’s not architecture just to be looked at.

the Pavilion comprises five ‘islands,’ each unique in size, form, name, and purpose

DB: So, there is a balance between connecting a larger community, but also having spaces for individuals.

MC: Exactly. There is collective and individual, but also architectural. Over the last years, I’ve been reflecting on how the internet began around 2000, with Google initially just a search engine. Then the iPhone came seven years later, changing the setting and the way we live. That’s when I lost interest. At the beginning of this millennium, we had such great hope for a universally connected, communicative ritual. This has given me even more ways to think about architecture’s purpose in bringing different people together. Despite the celebration of diversity, our society has become increasingly segmented and segregated.

I want to create spaces where different people can come together in daily life, where they can just relax and feel at home. Architecture isn’t just about capturing a nice moment in a picture. It’s something you can sit on, climb on, and interact with. You can listen to architecture; it offers various scenarios of activities. For me, the Serpentine Pavilion is much more about this kind of social experiment.

‘architecture isn’t just about capturing a nice moment in a picture. It’s something you can interact with,’ shares the architect

DB: Can you share how you have integrated elements of Korean heritage into this contemporary London context?

MC: The Korean madang is almost like a custom; it’s almost forbidden to plan anything in the middle. You typically place some plants on the edges, and there might be a well, or you can keep your dogs, or cows. There is this emptiness, not because we are practicing Zen, although it may have originated from that tradition, but because Zen is in a circular void in the middle of the wheel that connects the outer ring and inner ring with spokes, making things go round. This concept makes the space dynamic. Climatologically, it absorbs rainwater, which then evaporates and creates airflow, aiding in ventilation. It also bounces back light because we use the brightest materials possible. This brings a very bright light to usually darker interiors, making the space environmentally efficient. It can also accommodate various activities, from weddings to simply sitting around enjoying the sun or the breeze. 

All this happens in the madang. We are actually sitting in it right now. At first, we considered having people sit on the floor, but that wasn’t possible due to rain and other factors. In Korea, we focus on a tactile relationship; we take off our shoes, have wooden or heated floors, and maintain minimal furniture. Similarly, here, we don’t have furniture, except in the library, where there’s seating for one person and two more for the librarians. Our architecture reflects our cultural practice of skinship and tactile interaction.

the Pavilion features a Play Tower

the layout references the madang, or open courtyard, found in traditional Korean houses.

the concept of the madang makes the space dynamic

‘I want to create spaces where different people can come together in daily life,’ says Minsuk Cho

each structure of this Pavilion is envisioned as a ‘content machine’ with a distinct name and purpose

the Library space 

Minsuk Cho inside the Pavilion

five distinct covered spaces and five open surround the void   

the spaces serve as in-between areas that integrate with the surrounding park

project info: 

name: Archipelagic Void – the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion
architect: Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies
dates: 7th June – 27th October 2024
photography: Ste Murray

The post mass studies’ minsuk cho on the 2024 serpentine pavilion ‘archipelagic void’ appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

The 2024 Serpentine Pavilion, designed by the Seoul-based architectural firm Mass Studies, led by Minsuk Cho, is now complete and set to open on June 7th. This 23rd edition, named Archipelagic Void, features five distinct ‘islands’ varying in size, height, and form. Together, they form a star shape. These islands surround a central void, connecting the Serpentine South gallery with the park’s pedestrian pathways and integrating with the natural environment and seasonal changes. The pavilion will host a newly commissioned soundscape, a library, and a series of performances and talks. Ahead of the public opening, designboom visited the site and captured images to provide a first look. See more below. 

Serpentine Pavilion 2024 Archipelagic Void designed by Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies © Mass Studies Photo: Iwan Baan

Archipelagic Void: A Pavilion Adapting to Nature

Built primarily from timber, the Archipelagic Void by Mass Studies (find more here) is designed to adapt to the site’s gentle slope. The individual roofs’ curving edges are connected by a steel ring, forming a central oculus that lets in natural light. Radiating from this circular void, the pavilion’s islands serve as nodes in the lawn, connecting to the Serpentine Gallery (find more here). This layout also references traditional Korean houses with a madang, an open courtyard at the center, linking various living quarters and accommodating daily activities and seasonal rituals.

Each structure around the void serves a distinct purpose and is individually named. The Gallery features a six-channel sound installation, The Willow is <버들은> and Moonlight <월정명>, created by musician and composer Jang Young-Gyu. This work combines sounds from nature and human activities in Kensington Gardens with traditional Korean vocal music and instruments to depict the changing seasons.

The largest structure is the Auditorium, with benches built into its inner walls, providing space for public gatherings, performances, and talks. To the north, The Library of Unread Books by artist Heman Chong and archivist Renée Staal features a ‘living’ reference library of donated unread books, addressing issues of access, excess, and distribution politics. The southeast Play Tower is a pyramid structure with a bright orange netscape for visitors to climb and interact. In a nod to the Serpentine’s history, Cho incorporates the Tea House to the east, originally designed by James Grey West and functioning as a teahouse before reopening as an art gallery in 1970.

Archipelagic Void by Mass Studies | image © designboom

the structure features five distinct ‘islands’ varying in size, height, and form | image © designboom

the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion is built primarily from timber | image © designboom

Serpentine Pavilion 2024, Archipelagic Void, designed by Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies © Mass Studies Photo: Iwan Baan Courtesy: Serpentine

Serpentine Pavilion 2024, Archipelagic Void, designed by Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies © Mass Studies Photo: Iwan Baan Courtesy: Serpentine

Serpentine Pavilion 2024, Archipelagic Void, designed by Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies © Mass Studies Photo: Iwan Baan Courtesy: Serpentine

image © designboom

the islands surround a central void, which serves as a space for interaction | image © designboom

the design references traditional Korean houses | image © designboom

Minsuk Cho inside the pavilion | image © designboom

image © designboom

Minsuk Cho speaks at the unveiling of the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion | image © designboom

Serpentine Pavilion 2024, Archipelagic Void, designed by Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies © Mass Studies Photo: Iwan Baan Courtesy: Serpentine

project info:

name: Serpentine Pavilion 2024 | @serpentineuk

architect: Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies

dates: 7th June – 27th October 2024

The post first look: designboom steps inside mass studies’ 2024 serpentine pavilion appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

Seoul-based architectural firm Mass Studies, led by Minsuk Cho, has been chosen to design the 23rd Serpentine Pavilion, which will be displayed at Serpentine South from June 7 to October 27, 2024. Launching a season of specially curated activations, the upcoming pavilion, titled Archipelagic Void, will play host to a new commissioned soundscape, a library, and a series of performances and talks. It consists of five islands encircling an open space. Each island features adaptable structures at its periphery, integrating with the natural ecology and temporal conditions of the park. Together, these structures form a constellation that shapes a central circular void, drawing inspiration from the Madang of traditional Korean houses. This opening functions as a versatile space that can adapt to accommodate a range of activities, from individual daily routines to larger collective events, aiming to create a dynamic and engaging environment within the Pavilion. 

‘We began by asking what can be uncovered and added to the Serpentine site, which has already explored over 20 iterations at the center of the lawn, from a roster of great architects and artists. To approach this new chapter differently, instead of viewing it as a carte blanche, we embraced the challenge of considering the many existing peripheral elements while exploring the center as a void,’ describes Minsuk Cho on their approach.

Archipelagic Void | all renders © Mass Studies, courtesy Serpentine

full program revealed for the Archipelagic Void

Supported by Goldman Sachs, the multifaceted Serpentine Pavilion comprises distinct structures like ‘content machines,’ each serving a specific purpose around the central void. As the main entry to the Pavilion, the Gallery will play host to a six-channel sound installation created by musician and composer Jang Young-Gyu, presenting The Willow is <버들은> in the Summer and Moonlight <월정명> in the Autumn. Taking inspiration from the surrounding environment of the Pavilion, Jang incorporates sounds from nature and human activities recorded in Kensington Gardens with traditional Korean vocal music and instruments. The distinctive tones and melodies trace the changing of seasons. They respond to the constantly transforming landscape and ecology of the Park.

Meanwhile, the Library of Unread Books by artist Heman Chong and archivist Renée Staal will be in the north. Conceived as a ‘living’ reference library, each book is donated by its previous owner to form a common knowledge pool. Visitors can contribute and submit an unread book to the growing collection. By making these titles accessible, The Library of Unread Books functions as a collective gesture, addressing notions of access and distribution. In a nod to the history of the Serpentine building, the Tea House will take shape in the east. Designed by James Grey West, the Serpentine South building opened in 1934 and originally served as a teahouse until the early 1960s before reopening as an art gallery in 1970. Providing a space for outdoor play, the Pavilion also features the Play Tower, a pyramid structure with a bright orange netscape for visitors to climb and interact. To the west is the Auditorium, the largest structure of the five ‘islands’. With benches built into its inner walls, this space will provide an area for public gatherings, performances, and talks. 

the pavilion will host to a new soundscape, a library, and a series of performances and talks

Starting on Friday 7 June, Minsuk Cho will be in conversation with Serpentine Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist to discuss the inspirations behind this year’s Pavilion, Cho’s approach to architecture and the history of the commission. It will also present a performance by artist, choreographer and dancer Eun-Me Ahn in June to commence the program.‘Cho’s Pavilion is modular by nature, composed of individual structures that serve specific functions yet also come together as a continuous unit. Serpentine is deeply grateful to our loyal partners and supporters for enabling Minsuk Cho’s multifaceted concept to become a reality, and for sustaining the Pavilion each year as a model for exploring innovative ideas in architecture,’ shares Bettina Korek, Chief Executive, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director, Serpentine. 

During the summer and extending until October, the Serpentine Pavilion 2024 will serve as the stage for Serpentine’s live events program. It will host Park Nights, an interdisciplinary platform offering live experiences in music, poetry, spoken word, and dance. These events will run concurrently with Serpentine’s programs in Technology and Ecology, including the 2024 Infinite Ecologies Marathon and Civic & Education activations. 

it consists of five islands encircling an open space

In July, Serpentine Arts Technologies will host a day of events exploring the relationship of technology, property, and ecology. Visitors will be invited to become stewards of a collective artwork initiated by Tomás Saraceno and his long-term collaborators, the communities of Salinas Grandes in Jujuy, Argentina. Titled Fairclouds, this unique project builds connections between the cycles of water, information and life. By purchasing a partial common ownership licence and becoming part of an international network of stewards, audiences will support the work of indigenous communities in Argentina. The project is part of an ongoing collaboration between Serpentine Arts Technologies, RadicalxChange and Aerocene Foundation.

Finally, a catalog designed by South Korean Seoul-based designers Sulki and Min will accompany the Pavilion. Bringing together contributors from across the world of architecture, art and poetry, all of which inform Cho’s architectural practice, the publication will feature newly commissioned texts including Kenneth Frampton, architect, writer and former Ware Professor of Architecture at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University; Alex Taek-Gwang Lee, professor of cultural studies and founding director of the Centre for Technology in Humanities, Kyung Hee University; Beatrice Galilee, writer, curator and co-founder of The World Around; Renée Green, artist, writer and filmmaker and Kim Hyesoon, award-winning poet, essayist and critic. The catalog will also include a conversation between Minsuk Cho and Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist, alongside a visual exploration of the design and research materials of this year’s commission.

portrait of Minsuk Cho, image © Mok Jungwook

project info:

name: Serpentine Pavilion 2024 | @serpentineuk

designer: Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies

dates: 7th June – 27th October 2024

supported by: Goldman Sachs

renders: © Mass Studies

portrait: © Mok Jungwook

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