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Gehry unveils Serpentine Pavilion

Gehry unveils Serpentine Pavilion

These are the first pictures of Frank Gehry's designs for this year's Serpentine Gallery Pavilion.


 



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Described as part-amphitheatre part-promenade with a 'seemingly random' glass and wood structure, the temporary pavilion in central London will be the Los Angeles-based architect's first built project in England.

The 'highly articulated' 'chaotic' structure – designed and engineered in close collaboration with Arup and Cecil Balmond – will be the eighth pavilion to be built in front of the Kensington Gardens gallery.

Gehry said: 'The pavilion is designed as a wooden timber structure that acts as an urban street running from the park to the existing gallery.

'Inside the pavilion, glass canopies are hung from the wooden structure to protect the interior from wind and rain and provide for shade during sunny days.'

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He added: 'As the visitor walks through the pavilion they have access to terraced seating on both sides of the urban street.

'In addition to the terraced seating there are five elevated seating pods, which are accessed around the perimeter of the pavilion. These pods serve as visual markers enclosing the street and can be used as stages, private viewing platforms and dining areas.'

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Previous pavilions have given UK debuts to architects such as Toyo Ito, Rem Koolhaas, Oscar Niemeyer and Álvaro Siza.

A spokesman for the Serpentine confirmed this year's pavilion was 'not looking any more expensive' than previous structures, but was unable to release exact cost details.

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Reader Response

Added: Wednesday, 4 June 2008 14:34 BST
Andrew Rabeneck, London, United Kingdom

Each year the paviiion at the Serpentine gallery becomes more elaborate, and a bit more show-offy bonkers. Construction starts earlier and uses more site area; fences go up with screening; notices declare 'Keep out: Construction Site'. Large cranes appear even before May is out.
The whole thing screams art-vanity rather than intelligent site-responsive architectural reflection. Sustainable it ain't. if Julia thought about it she'd challenge the architects to make the lightest touch they could imagine on the site. How about something needing no cranes or JCBs, something that just appeared overnight . . . to delight. Andrew Rabeneck


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Added: Monday, 28 April 2008 10:32 BST
Anonymous, Leicester, United Kingdom

once again mr gehry has produced something that must have been run over by a bus. I'd like to see what happened if he turned up to a crit with this road accident of a design.


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Added: Saturday, 29 March 2008 09:42 GMT
Jon-Marc Creaney, Coatbridge, United Kingdom

I think you will find that the text has been changed as it originally stated UK! I am quite clear about the difference between England and Scotland thanks.


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Added: Thursday, 27 March 2008 15:15 GMT
Anonymous, SOUTHAMPTON, United Kingdom

I'd be interested to know what types of timber are not wooden! And has he heard of the DDA? The use of glass to provide shade is another novelty - what will they think of next!
I'm sure Ian Martin could come up with a good list out of this - 10 everyday impossibilites in the Serpentine Pavilion or similar.


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Added: Wednesday, 26 March 2008 13:59 GMT
Anonymous, London, United Kingdom

It looks like the model was broken before they took the photos. I hate it when that happens.


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Added: Tuesday, 25 March 2008 17:38 GMT
Hassan Ahmed, Oldham, United Kingdom

erm... I'm so hoping that his modelling skills are as bad as mine!


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Added: Tuesday, 25 March 2008 15:58 GMT
Owen Short, Swansea, United Kingdom

Usual ongoing confusion between Great Britain and England perpetrated by Mr Creaney but spotted by Mr Emmerson. You tend to notice if you're not an 'England-er'.


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Added: Tuesday, 25 March 2008 14:44 GMT
Eric Morehouse, Kansas, United States

What a pile of crap.... is this a classic example of reduce, re-use, recycle?

I think the design concept must have been based on RE-USING pieces of models he had laying around from previous projects.


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Added: Tuesday, 25 March 2008 12:59 GMT
Roger Emmerson, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Looks like a typical piece of Gehry fun! Hooray! For the benefit of Mr Creaney, the text was specific about the Serpentine pavilion being the first Gehry building in England.


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Added: Tuesday, 25 March 2008 11:42 GMT
Owen Short, Swansea, United Kingdom

Could be fun....could look like a demolition site. Anyhow, it's good he's using 'wooden timber', compared to....? And the 'urban street' concept...what, with shops and houses and traffic and stuff? In a pavilion in a park? And glass to provide shading? I often wonder why architects wonder why they mystify and get a bad press from Joe Public. Keep it up Frank.


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