A moving experience for 2012 Pavilion
Having constructed the 2012 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion during the trying conditions of one of the wettest summers on record, we have just completed its relocation to a new and permanent home at a private residence in Surrey. A collaboration between Herzog and De Meuron and Ai Weiwei, cork has been used to line the pavilion’s sub-terranean interior, while the floating platform roof holds a shallow, reflective pool.
Constructing each summer’s pavilion since 2009 has given us the opportunity to work with an extremely diverse array of materials, some of which have been completely new to us, but provide us with the opportunity to diversify our expertise and spend time researching and learning. If we’re not sure how a particular material will behave, then we will find out. The opportunity to explore new materials or to use materials in new ways is what brings out the best in us.
We’re looking forward to starting work on the 2013 Pavilion, but we’re hoping the rain holds off this year.