The new Serpentine Pavilion was officially opened on June 7 in London. This 23rd edition of the annual pavilion in the gardens of the Serpentine Galleries has been designed by South Korean architect Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies. The pavilion, titled "Archipelagic Void," consists of five separate volumes surrounding a central, circular patio.
The design is inspired by the "madang," a traditional Korean house with a central courtyard. Each of the adaptable volumes has a specific function. The largest structure, named the Auditorium, will host the traditional summer program of the Serpentine Pavilion, including debates, lectures, and other public activities.
In addition to the Auditorium, the pavilion includes the Gallery, Library, Tea House, and Play Tower. The Gallery features a sound installation by South Korean composer Jang Young-Gyu, blending natural and human sounds from Kensington Gardens into a composition that expresses the passage of the seasons.
The Library will house the Library of Unread Books, a project by Malaysian artist Heman Chong and Dutch researcher and archivist Renée Staal. This artwork comprises over two thousand donated unread books, which can be supplemented by pavilion visitors.
The Tea House is adjacent to the part of the Serpentine Galleries that once served as a tea house until it became part of the art institution in the 1970s. Lastly, the Play House offers visitors a playful experience with an orange net structure for climbing and social interaction.
The Serpentine Pavilion is an annual project designed by an architect who has not previously built a permanent structure in the United Kingdom. Previous pavilions have been designed by notable architects such as Rem Koolhaas and Cecil Balmond in 2006, Peter Zumthor and Piet Oudolf in 2011, and Bjarke Ingels Group in 2016. This year's pavilion will be open to visitors until October 27.
