The seventeenth temporary pavilion opened, like its predecessors, in Kensington Gardens, next to the Serpentine Gallery building. It was entrusted to the Burkina Faso architect, Diebedo Francis Kere; his workshop is located in Berlin, so the Goethe-Institut, among other sponsors, supported the creation of the pavilion. Aecom sponsored consultants and costing engineer David Glover helped bring the project to life.
As a reminder, the Serpentine Gallery temporary pavilions program involves architects who, at the time of receiving this royalty-free order, do not have completed structures in England. Zaha Hadid became the first participant in 2000; since then, summer pavilions have been built in Kensington Gardens by almost all the largest "stars" of world architecture. In recent years, on the contrary, relatively young avant-garde or, like Kere, socially oriented professionals have been invited to cooperate.
Kere is inspired by a tree under the shade of which in the villages of Burkina Faso, residents discuss current affairs or celebrate holidays. The construction is based on a steel frame. A permeable roof made of wood and polycarbonate creates a play of light and shade in the interior. The walls are constructed from prefabricated wooden parts assembled in triangular modules; there are small gaps between them. The building area is 330 m2, the maximum height is 4.8 meters.
In the center there is an open courtyard: in clear weather you can bask in the sun, and in the rain a waterfall falls down from the roof: below the water is collected by the drainage system and then goes to irrigate the park. So the pavilion takes into account the changeable London weather and enters into a "game" with it.
As in previous years, the pavilion will function as a cafe and a gazebo during the day, and as a platform for concerts, discussions, etc. in the evenings. For the third year in a row, the Serpentine Gallery runs a parallel competition for Britons aged 8-16
"Build your own pavilion" dedicated to public space in cities. This year, for the children and parents attending the pavilion, artist Katy Schwab created the Architectural Family Set, which allows you to look at Kere's work from unusual points of view.
The Serpentine Gallery Summer Pavilion program has spawned many imitative projects around the world, but despite this competition, it remains the leader among architecture and design exhibitions. Last year's pavilion under the BIG project was visited by 250,000 people, which, given the period of its existence - from June to early October, became a world record, while the six-month Venice Biennale 2016 was watched by 260,000 people.
The summer pavilion of the Serpentine Gallery will stay in Kensington Gardens in London until October 8, 2017, and then, like all its predecessors, it will be sold at a charity auction.
