A Capsule in Time to explore themes of transience and memory
Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum has been named as the designer of this year’s Serpentine pavilion.
Tabassum’s pavilion has been inspired by the transient structures built on the shifting banks of the Ganges delta in Bangladesh.
Set to be unveiled to the public on 6 June, it will mark the 25th year of the annual summer event in Kensington Gardens which presents the first UK structures by emerging architectural talents from across the globe, starting with Zaha Hadid in 2000.
Titled A Capsule in Time, Tabassum’s proposal will explore the role of memory in architecture and the boundary between “permanence and impermanence”.
It will take the form of a capsule-shaped shelter split into four volumes, with one section that can slide to form a new space and a mature tree at the structure’s centre.
Inspired by South Asian Shamiyana tents, temporary structures typically erected for outdoor gatherings and celebrations, the four shelters will consist of bamboo poles supporting curved translucent facades which allow dappled light to infuse the interior spaces.
Tabassum said she and her practice, Marina Tabassum Architects, had been inspired by the ephemeral nature of the Serpentine event, which she said “appears to us as a capsule of memory and time”.
She said: “The relationship between time and architecture is intriguing: between permanence and impermanence, of birth, age and ruin; architecture aspires to outlive time.
“Architecture is a tool to live behind legacies, fulfilling the inherent human desire for continuity beyond life. In the Bengal delta, architecture is ephemeral as dwellings change locations with the rivers shifting courses.
“Architecture becomes memories of the lived spaces continued through tales. The archaic volume of a half capsule, generated by geometry and wrapped in light semi-transparent material will create a play of filtered light that will pierce through the structure as if under a Shamiyana at a Bengali wedding.
“The Serpentine Pavilion offers a unique platform under the summer sun to unite as people rich in diversity. The stage is set, the seats are placed. We envision various events and encounters taking place in this versatile space that unifies people through conversations and connections.”
Serpentine South chief executive Bettina Korek and artistic director Hans Ulrich Obrist said: “A Capsule in Time will honour connections with the Earth and celebrate the spirit of community.”
The pavilion will host a programme of music, film, theatre, dance and literature events through the summer and until October, with each event responding to the design and themes of the structure.
The pavilion has been supported by Goldman Sachs and will be built with the support of technical advisor Aecom.
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