NEW DETAILS REVEALED FOR THE 2025 SERPENTINE PAVILION A CAPSULE IN TIME DESIGNED BY MARINA TABASSUM
Built around a semi-mature Ginkgo tree, the Pavilion will become a stage for Serpentine’s dynamic programme across the summer and until October
Tabassum’s Pavilion will mark the 25th year of this pioneering commission and continues Dame Zaha Hadid’s ethos of pushing the boundaries of architecture. Her mantra “There should be no end to experimentation”, is the foundation in which this commission is built upon and Tabassum’s Pavilion exemplifies this.
Celebrated for her work that seeks to establish an architectural language that is contemporary while rooted and engaging with place, climate, context, culture and history, Tabassum’s design will resonate with Serpentine South and aims to prompt a dialogue between the permanent and the ephemeral nature of the commission.
The 2025 Pavilion is elongated in the north-south direction and features a central court that aligns with Serpentine South’s bell tower. Inspired by the tradition of park-going and arched garden canopies that filter soft daylight through green foliage, the sculptural quality of the Pavilion is comprised of four wooden capsule forms with a translucent façade that diffuses and dapples light when infiltrating the space. Marking the first structure by Tabassum to be built entirely from wood, it also employs light as a way to enhance the qualities of the space. Emphasising the sensory and spiritual possibilities of architecture through scale, geometry and the interplay of light and shadow, Tabassum’s design also features a kinetic element where one of the capsule forms is able to move and connect, transforming the Pavilion into a new spatial configuration.
Built around a semi-mature Ginkgo tree – a climate resilient tree species that dates back to the early Jurassic Period – Tabassum’s Pavilion, like much of Tabassum’s previous projects, considers the threshold between inside and outside, the tactility of material, lightness and darkness, height and volume. Throughout the course of summer and into autumn, the Gingko tree leaves will slowly shift from green to luminous gold-yellow. The selection of a Gingko, was inspired by the fact this species is showing tolerance to climate change and contributes to a diverse treescape in Kensington Gardens. The species is not susceptible to many current pest and diseases, and will be replanted into the park following the Pavilion’s closure in October.
In an era of increasing censorship, Tabassum will expand on her desire for the Pavilion to function as a versatile space where visitors can come together and connect through conversations and sharing of knowledge. Tabassum and her team at MTA have compiled a selection of books that celebrate the richness of Bengali culture, literature, poetry, ecology and Bangladesh. Stored on shelves built into the structure, it draws on the Pavilion’s afterlife once no longer sited on Serpentine’s lawn, which is envisioned as a library open to all.
In July, Serpentine and Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther und Franz Konig, Köln, will co-publish a catalogue to accompany the Pavilion. Designed by Wolfe Hall, it will bring together new and insightful contributions from the fields of architecture and art to reflect on Tabassum’s Pavilion and wider practice. Generously illustrated in colour throughout, it features essays by art and architecture historian Perween Hasan; architect, educator and Dean of Yale School of Architecture Deborah Berke; architect, writer and critic Thomas de Monchaux; writer, editor and curator Shumon Basar; and visual, experimental contributions from artists Rana Begum and Naeem Mohaiemen. Alongside these contributions, it includes reproductions of ink and pencil drawings taken from Tabassum’s sketchbook whilst developing the design of the Pavilion; a photo essay by photographer Iwan Baan; an extensive conversation between Marina Tabassum and Serpentine’s Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist that delves into the work of Tabassum and traces the research, development and context behind the Pavilion; as well as a conversation between Tabassum and architect David Chipperfield.
“The Serpentine Pavilion celebrates the London summer – a time to be outdoors, connecting with friends and family in Kensington Gardens. We want to celebrate the tradition of park-going. On a sunny day, the play of filtered daylight through the translucent façade draws on the memory of being under a Shamiyana at a Bengali wedding. Built from a bamboo structure wrapped with colourfully decorated cloth, Shamiyanas can convene hundreds of guests on any occasion. The Serpentine Pavilion offers a unique platform under the summer sun to unite as people rich in diversity. How can we transcend our differences and connect as humans? The Serpentine Pavilion offers a place where people of diverse backgrounds, ages and cultures can come together under one roof and call for action, facilitating dialogues that expand our boundaries of tolerance and respect.”
“We’re thrilled that Marina Tabassum’s design for the 25th Anniversary Serpentine Pavilion reflects the legacy of past commissions and responds to Serpentine’s unique location in Kensington Gardens. The kinetic elements of A Capsule in Time echo the levitating features of Rem Koolhaas & Cecil Balmond with Arup’s 2006 Pavilion, and the Gingko tree at its centre roots the structure to the Earth and to Tabassum’s vision for evolved human connections with the environment. We are deeply grateful to our loyal partners whose generosity will once again make an incredible idea for the Serpentine Pavilion into a reality, to be enjoyed by audiences all summer as the hub of Serpentine’s public programme.”
“For over a decade, Goldman Sachs has been proud to support the Serpentine Pavilion, a project that has championed bold creativity and architectural innovation since its inception 25 years ago. This year, we are delighted to celebrate Marina Tabassum, whose visionary approach to sustainable and context-driven design will bring a thought-provoking A Capsule in Time to Kensington Gardens. We extend our thanks to the Serpentine team and all those who make this pioneering project possible, ensuring it remains free and accessible to all.”
Jon Leach, Director of AECOM said:
“We are thrilled to be working with Marina and her team on this year’s Pavilion. The project, with its tight timescales and unique engineering challenges, is always particularly rewarding for our team of engineers and project managers. Celebrating our thirteenth year on the Pavilion, it is fantastic to work with the Serpentine and the entire team once again to bring this year’s design to life.”
Tim Leigh, Chief Creative Officer of Stage One Creative Services said:
“Delivering the Pavilions is a privilege. This will be the sixteenth we have delivered and it is remarkable how each scheme brings its own character and challenges. This year’s design is striking and deliberate and has been a joy to work on. In particular, the strong form combined with the kinetic dimension makes this a very special Pavilion. Each year our mission is to realise an architectural experiment and Marina Tabassum and her team have provided us with the perfect laboratory in which to work.”
-Starting on Friday 6 June, 16:30, Marina Tabassum will be in conversation with Serpentine Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist to discuss the inspiration behind this year’s Pavilion and Tabassum’s approach to architecture.
-From July, A Capsule in Time will become a platform for Serpentine’s Park Nights, the annual interdisciplinary platform for live encounters in music, poetry, performance, and dance that will see artists create new site-specific works. Further details will be announced soon.
-This summer, Project Curator Chris Bayley will lead free Saturday afternoon tours of the Pavilion, exploring this year’s Pavilion and the history of the commission.
–The Shape of a Circle in the Mind of a Fish, a book which brings together seven years of celebrated projects on more-than-human consciousness and raising awareness of issues related to ecology from 100 contributors across disciplines, will be launched in the Pavilion.
-On Saturday 19th July, Serpentine will host the Pavilion Family Day, a free, drop-in event with hands-on activities and creative workshops in response to the Pavilion.
-On Saturday 13th September, Serpentine, in partnership with New Currency and Alaska Alaska , will host a day of activations featuring poetry, live performances, DJ sets.
To accompany the Pavilion, Tabassum has created a special limited edition print that will be released during the opening week.
This year’s Pavilion selection was made by Serpentine CEO Bettina Korek; Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist; Director of Construction and Special Projects Julie Burnell; Exhibitions Curator Chris Bayley; Curator at Large, Architecture and Site-specific Projects Natalia Grabowska; and Assistant Exhibitions Curator Alexa Chow, together with advisors Sou Fujimoto and David Glover.
The Pavilion is supported by Goldman Sachs.