Designed by Marina Tabassum, this year’s Serpetine Pavilion draws inspiration from the Bangladeshi culture of park-going and arched garden canopies
Visiting London soon? Then a walk through the Serpentine Pavilion is a must. Since its inception 25 years ago, this annual commission invites a different architect and artist each time to dream up a structure in the heart of Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park. Now a summer staple in London, this thoughtful initiative offers a platform for ideological and cultural expression, encouraging experimentation, creativity and dialogue.
Adding to an impressive list of names that include Zaha Hadid and Ai Weiwei is this year’s architect, Bangladeshi Marina Tabassum, and her studio, Marina Tabassum Architects. Designed according to the theme ‘A Capsule in Time’, the Pavilion draws inspiration from the Bangladeshi culture of park-going and arched garden canopies, offering a 4.8-metre-high open space with bookshelves that double as seating and a cafe at its southern end. A semi-mature ginkgo tree at its heart symbolises the passing of time, while light plays an important role in this fully wooden structure, allowing the play of light and shadow to take centre stage.
“I have always loved this notion of light and how atmosphere is created. There is a certain timelessness about working with geometry, atmosphere and formal expression,” Tabassum said in a statement to Wallpaper. “The idea was [to bring] a very translucent light into the space so that it has this very serious, quiet, silent quality to it. People can come in and spend time, as long as they want. It just doesn’t let you go. It keeps you, and you see the atmosphere change as the light changes throughout the day.”
Set to open to the public this 6 June 2025, the pavilion will remain a space for people to gather under one roof until October.
