The new building was designed by Rem Koolhaas and engineer Cecil Balmond, one of the ARUP executives. The program for its use will be developed by Koolhaas together with the renowned curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, who has been the gallery's co-director for exhibitions since April. It will include daily social events such as panel discussions, film screenings and an exhibition by the current German artist Thomas Demand.
The structure will consist of an egg-shaped inflatable ceiling made of translucent material, which will be illuminated at night. This "roof" can be raised or lowered over the walls of the building, depending on the weather. Inside, as in the six previous summer pavilions, there will be a cafe and an amphitheater for social events.
Rem Koolhaas believes that his structure will determine the events taking place inside. According to Cecil Balmond, the theme of pavilion projects in previous years was experimentation with types of structures and materials, and now we are talking about the very definition of "pavilion", which is being called into question.
