A Colorful Chrysalis in Kensington Gardens

John Hill
25. March 2015
Image: Courtesy of Serpentine Gallery

The playful renderings, with figures that appear to be lifted straight from children's books, depict "an amorphous, double-skinned, polygonal structure consisting of panels of a translucent, multi-colored fabric membrane (ETFE) woven through and wrapped in webbing," according to a statement from the Serpentine Gallery. Visitors will be able to access the interior's open space and café at various points, passing through a "secret corridor" between the structures two layers to experience what the Gallery describes as "the Pavilion's brilliant, stained glass effect."

The duo of José Selgas and Lucía Cano, who received the Pavilion commission in December,  describe their design as one based on pure visitor experience: "We sought a way to allow the public to experience architecture through simple elements: structure, light, transparency, shadows, lightness, form, sensitivity, change, surprise, color and materials. We have therefore designed a Pavilion which incorporates all of these elements." Further, they have situated their design relative to other Serpentine Gallery Pavilions: " We are also very much aware of the Pavilion’s anniversary in our design for the 15th annual commission. The structure therefore had to be – without resembling previous Pavilions – a tribute to them all and a homage to all the stories told within those designs."

The design's unveiling comes a week after news that the 2014 Pavilion designed by Chile's Smiljan Radić has been relocated to Hauser & Wirth's Durslade Farm in Somerset, England. Other recent Pavilions include those designed by Sou Fujimoto (2013) and Herzog & de Meuron with Ai Weiwei (2012). SelgasCano's Pavilion will be on display in Kensington Gardens from 25 June to 18 October 2015.

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