1. ArchDaily
  2. Serpentine Pavilion

Serpentine Pavilion: The Latest Architecture and News

Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine Pavilion To be Moved to Permanent Home in Malaysia

A month after its critically-lauded run came to a close, Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion has found a permanent home halfway across the globe.

As reported by the Star, the structure has been purchased by Kuala Lumpur-based Ilham Gallery, who are now searching for a permanent site of the pavilion in Malaysia.

Critics Laud Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine Pavilion for Its Simplicity and Authenticity

Subscriber Access | 

London’s annual temporary architecture pavilion spectacular has returned. Each summer the Serpentine Pavilion program selects an accomplished architect who has yet to create work in the United Kingdom, and asks them to build a temporary shelter on the gallery's lawn. The resulting structure is erected in June and dismantled in October.

This year’s offering is designed by Francis Kéré—the first pavilion designed by an African Architect to grace Kensington Gardens. Kéré’s project is composed of a series of curving blue walls shaded by an elliptical cantilevering wood and steel canopy. Thus far the design has been universally lauded by critics; read on to find out why they thought the project was so appealing.

Critics Laud Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine Pavilion for Its Simplicity and Authenticity - Image 1 of 4Critics Laud Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine Pavilion for Its Simplicity and Authenticity - Image 2 of 4Critics Laud Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine Pavilion for Its Simplicity and Authenticity - Image 3 of 4Critics Laud Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine Pavilion for Its Simplicity and Authenticity - Image 4 of 4Critics Laud Francis Kéré’s 2017 Serpentine Pavilion for Its Simplicity and Authenticity - More Images+ 1

Diébédo Francis Kéré's Serpentine Pavilion Opens in Sun-Drenched London – But Will Come Alive During Rain

The 2017 Serpentine Pavilion, designed by Diébédo Francis Kéré (Kéré Architecture), was unveiled today in London. Conceived as a micro cosmos—"a community structure within Kensington Gardens"—the pavilion has been designed to consciously fuse cultural references from Kéré's home town of Gando in Burkino Faso, with "experimental construction techniques." The architect hopes that the pavilion, as a social condenser, "will become a beacon of light, a symbol of storytelling and togetherness."

Diébédo Francis Kéré's Serpentine Pavilion Opens in Sun-Drenched London – But Will Come Alive During Rain - Featured ImageDiébédo Francis Kéré's Serpentine Pavilion Opens in Sun-Drenched London – But Will Come Alive During Rain - Image 1 of 4Diébédo Francis Kéré's Serpentine Pavilion Opens in Sun-Drenched London – But Will Come Alive During Rain - Image 2 of 4Diébédo Francis Kéré's Serpentine Pavilion Opens in Sun-Drenched London – But Will Come Alive During Rain - Image 3 of 4Diébédo Francis Kéré's Serpentine Pavilion Opens in Sun-Drenched London – But Will Come Alive During Rain - More Images

Francis Kéré to Design 2017 Serpentine Pavilion

The Serpentine Galleries have announced that the 2017 Serpentine Pavilion will be designed by Diébédo Francis Kéré (Kéré Architecture), an African architect based between Berlin, Germany, and his home town of Gando in Burkino Faso. The design for the proposal, which will be built this summer in London's Kensington Gardens, comprises an expansive roof supported by a steel frame, mimicking the canopy of a tree. According to Kéré, the design for the roof stems from a tree that serves as the central meeting point for life in Gando. In line with the criteria for the selection of the Serpentine Pavilion architect Kéré has yet to have realised a permanent building in England.

Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu

Earlier today, the 17th Serpentine Gallery Pavilion was unveiled with a press preview ahead of its public opening this Friday. With its 13-meter tall "unzipped wall" of square fiberglass tubes, the pavilion is an impressive presence in Hyde park, standing next to the single-story Serpentine Gallery. As described by Bjarke Ingels in his design statement, the pavilion is all about its visual effects from various angles - going from an expansive, transparent rectangle when viewed from the side, and an opaque, curving sculptural shape when seen from either end.

With so much visual intrigue, the project offers plenty to be explored through photography - and accordingly, photographer Laurian Ghinitoiu was there at the opening to investigate the project's visual effects. He also captured the pavilion's neighboring Summer Houses, by Kunlé Adeyemi of NLÉ, Barkow Leibinger, Yona Friedman and Asif Khan. Read on to see the gallery.

Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 1 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 2 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 3 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 4 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 5 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 6 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 7 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 8 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - Image 9 of 4Gallery: The Serpentine Pavilion and Summer Houses Photographed by Laurian Ghinitoiu - More Images+ 67

BIG's 2016 Serpentine Pavilion Opens Alongside 4 Summerhouses

The 2016 Serpentine Pavilion, designed by BIG, has today been unveiled at the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park, London. The design consists of an "unzipped wall" in which a straight line of tubular fiberglass bricks at the top of the wall is split into two undulating sides, housing the program of the pavilion. For the first time, the 2016 Serpentine Pavilion is also accompanied by four "summerhouses" designed by Kunlé Adeyemi, Barkow Leibinger, Yona Friedman and Asif Khan. The Pavilion and summerhouses will open to the public later this week, on June 10th, and will be in place until October 9th. Read on to find out more about all five designs.

BIG's 2016 Serpentine Pavilion Opens Alongside 4 Summerhouses - Image 5 of 4BIG's 2016 Serpentine Pavilion Opens Alongside 4 Summerhouses - Image 8 of 4BIG's 2016 Serpentine Pavilion Opens Alongside 4 Summerhouses - Image 12 of 4BIG's 2016 Serpentine Pavilion Opens Alongside 4 Summerhouses - Image 14 of 4BIG's 2016 Serpentine Pavilion Opens Alongside 4 Summerhouses - More Images+ 12

Play With a Parametric Version of BIG's Serpentine Pavilion in this Model

Subscriber Access | 

Every year the Serpentine Gallery commissions an Architect to design a pavilion which will sit on its lawn, greeting the hundreds of thousands of people who will visit over the summer months. Temporary pavilions like this are an important chance for architects to test new ideas, and to communicate to the public what architecture is and could be.

Unless you’re in London, you may not get the opportunity to visit the pavilion physically, but thanks to the web we can take you there virtually.

Play With a Parametric Version of BIG's Serpentine Pavilion in this Model - Featured ImagePlay With a Parametric Version of BIG's Serpentine Pavilion in this Model - Image 1 of 4Play With a Parametric Version of BIG's Serpentine Pavilion in this Model - Image 2 of 4Play With a Parametric Version of BIG's Serpentine Pavilion in this Model - Image 3 of 4Play With a Parametric Version of BIG's Serpentine Pavilion in this Model - More Images+ 3

Smiljan Radic’s Serpentine Pavilion / Images by Hufton+Crow

Photography studio Hufton+Crow is the latest to capture the 2014 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, designed by Chilean architect Smiljan Radic. Step inside this glass-fibre reinforced plastic shell with Hufton+Crow’s photos after the break.

Smiljan Radic’s Serpentine Pavilion / Images by Hufton+Crow - Image 1 of 4Smiljan Radic’s Serpentine Pavilion / Images by Hufton+Crow - Image 2 of 4Smiljan Radic’s Serpentine Pavilion / Images by Hufton+Crow - Image 3 of 4Smiljan Radic’s Serpentine Pavilion / Images by Hufton+Crow - Image 4 of 4Smiljan Radic’s Serpentine Pavilion / Images by Hufton+Crow - More Images+ 31

Critical Round-Up: 2014 Serpentine Pavilion / Smiljan Radic

Last week, the 2014 Serpentine Pavilion opened in London's Hyde Park. The Serpentine Pavilion program invites architects who are yet to work in the UK to create a temporary installation at the gallery's grounds for one summer, and this year it was the turn of Chilean architect Smiljan Radic, who rarely builds outside his native country and is arguably the least well-known architect in the Pavilion's 14 year history.

Always a highlight in London's architectural calender, critics almost line up to write their reviews. This year, they are almost entirely unanimous: Radic's pavilion is, unquestionably, weird. But they're also unanimous on another judgement: it may be one of the best Serpentine Pavilions yet.

Read on after the break to find out what the critics said about this year's design

Critical Round-Up: 2014 Serpentine Pavilion / Smiljan Radic - Image 1 of 4Critical Round-Up: 2014 Serpentine Pavilion / Smiljan Radic - Image 2 of 4Critical Round-Up: 2014 Serpentine Pavilion / Smiljan Radic - Image 3 of 4Critical Round-Up: 2014 Serpentine Pavilion / Smiljan Radic - Image 4 of 4Critical Round-Up: 2014 Serpentine Pavilion / Smiljan Radic - More Images+ 2