Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2007
London, UK 2007
Olafur Eliasson and KjetThorsen
This project was completed prior to the founding of Studio Other Spaces.
The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2007 was constructed around a spiralling movement. It was defined by a ramp that wrapped around and gave shape to a central gathering space, which constituted the primary space of the pavilion. The experience of the building is precisely related to one's movement through it.
concept
production
reality
This was one of the first projects in which Olafur Eliasson, with his studio, expanded artistic work into an architectural project. Drawing from the experience of being the direct producer of artworks and exhibitions within the studio space, knowledge and methods were directly translated into the production of architecture. The work was entirely prefabricated, allowing for a strong link between all parts of the construction. This working method and collaboration between art and architecture was a precedent for the current architectural undertakings of Studio Other Spaces.
The pavilion – a timber-clad structure that resembled a spinning top – formed an auditorium at its core. In order to eschew the sharp distinctions between traditional elements of a building, proposing instead a model of space defined by movement, a spiralling ramp ascended from the gallery's lawn to the seating area and continued upwards, culminating at the highest point in a view across Kensington Gardens and down into the chamber below.
In autumn 2007, Eliasson curated a number of public events inside the pavilion together with Hans Ulrich Obrist, Co-director of Exhibitions and Programmes and Director of International Projects at the Serpentine Gallery. This engagement culminated in the Serpentine Gallery Experiment Marathon, held in October 2007.
Designed by Eliasson and Kjetil Thorsen, founder of the Norwegian architectural practice Snøhetta, the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2007 was commissioned by the Serpentine Gallery as part of its pavilion series and was situated adjacent to the gallery, in Kensington Gardens, London, from August to October 2007.
people
Client: Serpentine Gallery, London
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date: 2007, temporary installation