The art of the curve.

A milestone year for the Serpentine Pavilion sees Mexico City-based LANZA atelier awarded the commission. Founded by architects Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo, the practice has a stellar reputation for projects that place architecture in close dialogue with vernacular traditions, technology and craft.

The design, titled a serpentine, draws inspiration from the crinkle-crankle wall: the distinctive undulating brick boundary commonly found in Suffolk. A form with provenance, stretching back to ancient Egypt, it was introduced to England by Dutch engineers. The winding shape is as practical as it is beautiful, creating structural strength while using fewer materials than a conventional straight wall.

Installed on the lawn just outside Serpentine South in Kensington Gardens, the curving wall moves through the Pavilion structure, serpent like, creating pockets of shelter and openness, while a translucent roof filters daylight overhead. Here the boundary between inside and outside discreetly dissolves. The humble brick is key to the Pavilion and speaks to both the English garden tradition and to the existing brick façade of Serpentine South. LANZA atelier has also designed locally made sapele hardwood chairs and stools.

The commission is unveiled as Serpentine marks 25 years since Zaha Hadid designed the inaugural Pavilion in 2000. In a special collaboration with the Zaha Hadid Foundation and the Architectural Association, throughout the summer, the structure will serve as the stage for a gorgeous programme of talks, performances, screenings and events. Free to visit, make this your summer gathering spot.