SERPENTINE 2025 PAVILION, BY MARINA TABASSUM ARCHITECTS (MTA)
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, the Serpentine Pavilion 2025 Capsule in Time, designed by Marina Tabassum, resonates 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.
Central to Tabassum’s design is a kinetic element
where one of the capsule forms is able to move and connect, transforming the
Pavilion into a new space. Emphasising the sensory and spiritual possibilities
of architecture through scale and the interplay of light and shadow, Tabassum’s
design also draws on the history and architectural language of Shamiyana tents
or awnings of South Asia. Similarly kinetic in their function, these structures
are made up of an external fabric supported by bamboo poles and are commonly
erected for outdoor gatherings and celebrations.
Credits: Serpentine Pavilion 2025 A Capsule in Time, designed
by Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA). Exterior view. © Marina
Tabassum Architects (MTA), Photo Iwan Baan, Courtesy: Serpentine.
