The pavilion will consist of five distinct ‘islands,’ each varying in size and form
The 23rd Serpentine Pavilion, titled Archipelagic Void, designed by Seoul-based architect Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies, is set to open on June 7, 2024.
The pavilion will host a variety of curated events, including a commissioned soundscape, a library, and a series of performances and talks.
The Pavilion consists of five distinct ‘islands,’ each varying in size, form, name, and purpose, creating a varied platform for Serpentine’s live programme running from June to October.
The Gallery, the main entrance to the Pavilion, will showcase a six-channel sound installation by musician and composer Jang Young-Gyu. The installation, titled “The Willow is <버들은> in the Summer and Moonlight <월정명> in the Autumn,” incorporates natural and human sounds from Kensington Gardens, blended with traditional Korean vocal music and instruments to reflect the changing seasons.
The north section of the Pavilion will house The Library of Unread Books by artist Heman Chong and archivist Renée Staal. This ‘living’ reference library features books donated by their previous owners, inviting visitors to contribute their unread books to the collection, promoting access and distribution of knowledge.
The Tea House, located to the east, nods to the history of the Serpentine South building, originally a teahouse designed by James Grey West in 1934, before it became an art gallery in 1970.
The Pavilion also includes the Play Tower, a pyramid structure with a bright orange netscape for climbing and interaction, providing a space for outdoor play.
The largest structure, the Auditorium, situated to the west, features benches built into its inner walls, serving as a venue for public gatherings, performances, and talks.
Minsuk Cho said: “We are honoured and grateful to unveil Archipelagic Void in June. To realise the Pavilion, we began by asking what can be uncovered and added to the Serpentine site, which has already featured over twenty historical iterations at the centre of the lawn, from a roster of great architects and artists.
“To approach this new chapter differently, instead of viewing it as a carte blanche, we embraced the challenge of considering the many existing peripheral elements while exploring the centre as a void.
“It also begins to address the history of the Serpentine Pavilion. By inverting the centre as a void, we shift our architectural focus away from the built centre of the past, facilitating new possibilities and narratives.”
Throughout the summer, the Pavilion will host Serpentine’s Park Nights, an annual interdisciplinary platform for live events in music, poetry, performance, and dance.
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