Written by Tatevik Sargsyan

Everything that is happening in London this summer seems to be somehow related to the Olympics, this is also the case for the new pavilion for the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens. Every year a new architect is invited to design the pavilion, now in its 12th year, the new pavilion has been created by the architect duo Herzog & de Meuron and artist Ai Weiwei. Their previous architectural collaboration was the Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing.

The architects have attempted to reflect upon the previous commissions by digging up the soil and using sustainable materials, the interior has been designed using cork – the seats even resemble champagne corks. The minimalist yet bold design is a reflection of Ai Weiwei’s sculptures and the different layers and ergonomic support shows the architect’s contributions. Sitting inside the pavilion is like being inside an unfinished lounge bar which used to be a skateboard ramp park.

The whole design has an archaeological feel – as water is collected on the disc shaped roof, making it into a pool this is supported by pillars and below this, the cork seats can be moved around the space, almost as if there is something we must search for and sit in a particular corner.

Images © Iwan Baan