The Serpentine Gallery in London’s Hyde Park is well known for its iconic design exhibitions and the 2010 Summer Pavilion follows in the footsteps of Kazuyo Sejima’s 2009 floating pool of water and Frank Gehry’s dishevelled timber installation of 2008. The pavilions have established the Gallery as an international site for experimental architecture and help to draw some of the world’s leading architects to the UK.
Designed by avant-garde infused French designer Jean Nouvel, and marking his first work in the UK, the 10th in the gallery’s Summer Pavilions is a bright red, angular geometric construction that has been constructed as a distinct contrast to the grassy greens of Hyde Park. Using lightweight panels and cantilevered structures, the pavilion features a retractable awning and a twelve metre high free standing wall, which slopes precariously over the rest of the build.
Inspired by the the vivid British red of the traditional post box, London bus and telephone booth, the pavilion opened on 5th July and ran through until the 20th October 2010. If the sharp lines and eye catching red of Nouvel’s work wasn’t enough to grab the attention of visitors to Hyde Park, the random addition of a series of ping pong table in the centre of it all was enough to make it a focal point on sunny afternoons in the park.
While Prince Charles is reputed not to be a fan of Jean Nouvel’s anti-traditionalist work, the Pritzker prize winner’s temporary summer pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery brought a whole lot of colour to Hyde Park.
As well as being incredibly eye-catching, the structure was also a playful and social experience with a cafe, hammocks and lots of seating all a part of the 2010 pavilion in addition to the table tennis. It was the 10th installation in the Serpentine Gallery series, with 2010 also being the Gallery’s 40th anniversary.
It was followed up by Peter Zumthor in 2011, Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei in 2012 and Sou Fujimoto in 2013. You can find out more about the latest Serpentine Gallery installation at our 2014 Summer Pavilion page.
