PRESS PACK
SERPENTINE PAVILION 2015
DESIGNED BY SELGASCANO
25 JUNE 18 OCTOBER 2015
SERPENTINE GALLERY
Press contacts:
Miles Evans, 020 7298 1544, milese@serpentinegalleries.org
Rose Dempsey, 020 7298 1520, rosed@serpentinegalleries.org
V Ramful, 0207 298 1519, v@serpentinegalleries.org
Image downloads: serpentinegalleries.org/press
Previous Serpentine Pavilions: serpentinegalleries.org/press
Contents
Note from the Directors
Press Release
Architects Biography
Recent projects by selgascano
Pavilion Fact Sheet
Project Team and Advisors
Engineers Statement
Serpentine Pavilions 2000 2015 Key Facts
Serpentine Pavilions 2000 2014
Sponsors and Supporters
Note from the Serpentine Galleries Directors
The realisation of the Serpentine Pavilion 2015 has only been made possible
thanks to the enormously generous contribution of individuals, companies
and foundations that have pledged sponsorship, or sponsorship help-in-kind
to the project. The Serpentine has no budget for this annual architecture
commission and must raise all the funds to make the scheme a reality.
We would be very grateful if you could acknowledge in print and online the
Pavilions principal supporters in your coverage of the project:
Serpentine Galleries Summer Season The Lars Windhorst
Supported by Foundation
Serpentine Pavilion sponsored by Goldman Sachs
Advisors AECOM
With David Glover
Supported by Stage One
Gold Sponsor Weil
Julia Peyton-Jones Hans Ulrich Obrist
Director Co-Director of Exhibitions
and Co-Director, Exhibitions and Programmes and
and Programmes Director of International Projects
Press Release
SERPENTINE PAVILION 2015
DESIGNED BY SELGASCANO
Sponsored by Goldman Sachs
25 June 18 October 2015
Serpentine Galleries celebrates the 15th anniversary of the world-renowned
Pavilion commission with a design by Spanish architects selgascano.
Since it was launched in 2000 by Gallery Director Julia Peyton-Jones, the
Serpentine Pavilion has become an international site for architectural
experimentation, presenting inspirational temporary structures by some of
the world's greatest architects, including Peter Zumthor, 2011; Frank Gehry,
2008; Rem Koolhaas and Cecil Balmond, with Arup, 2006; Oscar Niemeyer,
2003; Daniel Libeskind with Arup, 2001 and Zaha Hadid, who designed the
inaugural Pavilion in 2000. A much-anticipated landmark in London each
summer, the Pavilion is one of the top-ten most visited architectural and
design exhibitions in the world.
selgascanos design for the 15th Pavilion, sponsored by Goldman Sachs, reveals
an amorphous, double-skinned, polygonal structure consisting of panels of a
translucent, multi-coloured fluorine-based polymer (ETFE) woven through and
wrapped like webbing. Visitors can enter and exit the Pavilion at a number of
different points, passing through a secret corridor between the outer and
inner layer of the structure and into the Pavilions colourful interior. The
architects inspiration not only came from the site itself, but from the ways in
which people move through London, notably the London Underground with
its many-layered, chaotic yet structured flow.
Serpentine Galleries Julia Peyton-Jones, Director, and Co-Director Hans
Ulrich Obrist said:
We are proud to work with selgascano in this, the 15th year of a commission
unique in the western world that continues to showcase some of the boldest
and innovative designs in contemporary architecture internationally. In keeping
with their reputation for playful designs and bold use of colour, selgascanos
design is an extraordinary chrysalis-like structure, as organic as the surrounding
gardens. It is a place for people to meet in, to have coffee and to experience the
live events we put on throughout the summer.
selgascano, architects of the 15th Serpentine Pavilion said:
When the Serpentine invited us to design the Pavilion, we began to think about
what the structure needed to provide and what materials should be used in a
Royal Park in London. These questions, mixed with our own architectural
interests and the knowledge that the design needs to connect with nature and
feel part of the landscape, provided us with a concept based on pure visitor
experience. We sought a way to allow the public to experience architecture
through simple elements: structure, light, transparency, shadows, lightness, form,
sensitivity, change, surprise, colour and materials. We have therefore designed a
Pavilion which incorporates all of these elements. The spatial qualities of the
Pavilion only unfold when accessing the structure and being immersed within it.
Each entrance allows for a specific journey through the space, characterised by
colour, light and irregular shapes with surprising volumes. This is accomplished
by creating a double-layered shell, made of opaque and translucent fluorine-
based plastic (ETFE) in a variety of colours.
At the heart of the Pavilion is an open space for gathering as well as a caf. We
are also very much aware of the Pavilions anniversary in our design for the 15th
annual commission. The structure therefore had to be without resembling
previous Pavilions a tribute to them all and a homage to all the stories told
within those designs.
As a long-time supporter of the arts, both in terms of championing emerging
talent and investing in works of art for its Piccadilly home, Fortnum & Mason
is basing themselves within the Pavilion providing a fun and artisanal twist on
alfresco dining. The signature Hamperling will be available the brands
portable answer to the classic afternoon tea. From the Fortnums Ice Cream
Cart, visitors will enjoy scoops and the Knickerbocker Glory, the brand made
so famous. Tea will be served from the Fortnum & Mason Tea Tuk, with light
bites and even treats for canine guests.
On Friday evenings, between July and September, the Pavilion will once again
become the stage for the Serpentines Park Nights series of live events,
sponsored for the third year by COS. The events bring together art, poetry,
music, film, literature and theory and include three new major commissions by
artists Jesse Darling, Fleur Melbourn and Marianna Simnett.
The Serpentine is delighted that Goldman Sachs is the headline sponsor of
this years Pavilion. AECOM, in collaboration with David Glover, will again
provide engineering and technical design services. While this is the third
Serpentine Pavilion for AECOM, David Glover has worked on the majority of
Pavilion designs to date.
Michael Sherwood and Richard Gnodde, Co-Chief Executive Officers,
Goldman Sachs International said: London is one of the worlds leading
financial and cultural centres and we believe that projects like the Pavilion
encourage and inspire the exchange of ideas and perspectives across
generations, reflecting the important role that businesses can play in supporting
art and culture in the UK.
Tom Webster, UK Associate Director, Structures, AECOM said:
We had to push engineering innovation to its limits to achieve the architects
goal of movement and lightness. Our minimalist steel frame provides the canvas
for the colourful cladding to deform and deflect within a dynamic structure. This
juxtaposition of weightlessness and solidity is just one of the buildings inherent
contrasts. The Serpentine Pavilion commission is famous for pushing boundaries
in architectural design and as engineers we must match this creativity. Our role
is to solve technical challenges to transform vision into reality.
Architects Biography
Jos Selgas and Luca Cano established selgascano in Madrid, Spain, in 1998.
Both born in Madrid in 1965, Selgas and Cano studied architecture at Escuela
Tcnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid and graduated in 1992. After
graduating, Selgas worked with Francesco Venecia in Naples, winning the
Rome Prize from Academia Espaola de Bellas Artes de Roma in 1997-1998.
Cano worked with renowned Spanish architect Julio Cano Lasso and was a
member of the studio until 2001.
selgascanos work is characterised by a use of synthetic materials and new
technologies, often rarely applied to architecture. Taking inspiration from Luis
Barragan and Richard Rogers, the architects use distinctive colours and
references to nature throughout their designs. To date, their belief that
architecture is secondary to nature informs their nature and climatology
design course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the
architects work on the Educational and Medical Pavilion in Turkana, Kenya.
selgascano studio has completed the majority of its buildings in Spain
through a diverse range of commissions, including Silicon House, Madrid
(2007); Office in the Woods, Madrid (2009); El B. Cartagena Auditorium and
Congress Centre, Cartagena (2011); and Mrida Factory, Mrida (2011). In 2014
the architects completed the complete refurbishment of Second Home,
London (2015) and current projects include Plasencia Auditorium and Congress
Centre, Cceres; Pip House, Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles; the renovation
of Texas Square in Oranjestad, Aruba; and La Canaria House, Mount
Washington, Los Angeles. selgascanos work has been exhibited at the
Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York;
GA Gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo; Design Museum,
London; Akademie der Kunste, Berlin; Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney; and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston. The architects were chosen
for the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2010, curated by Japanese architect
Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA, architects of the Serpentines 2009 Pavilion, and
again for the Spanish Pavilion 2012, as part of SpainLab, an exhibition which
brought together the work of seven Spanish architects. In 2013 they won the
Kunstpreis (Art prize) awarded by the Akademie der Kunste, Berlin and were
pronounced 'Architects of the Year' by the German Design Council.
Recent projects by selgascano
Plasencia Auditorium and Congress Centre
Cseres, Spain 2005/2013
Image Hisao Suzuki
El B. Cartagena
Auditorium and Congress Centre
Murcia, Spain 2001/2011
Image Iwan Baan
El B. Cartagena
Auditorium and Congress Centre
Murcia, Spain 2001/2011
Image Iwan Baan
Office in the Woods
Madrid, Spain 2006/2009
Image Iwan Baan
Serpentine Pavilion 2015
Fact Sheet
Dates
25 June 2015 18 October 2015
Overall site area
541 sqm
Gross internal area
179sqm
Dimensions of Pavilion
27m at the buildings widest point
4.6m at the buildings highest point from existing ground
179 sqm internal area
264 sqm building footprint
4m max ceiling height internally
2m min ceiling height internally
Structure and materials
Main structure structural steel
Roof and walls - structural fabric
Floor reinforced concrete slab
Four entrances provide direct routes from the interior to the exterior
of the Pavilion.
Furniture Fortnum & Mason white steel chairs and white steel tables
A public space during the day (10.00am 6.00pm) and a forum for
learning, debate and entertainment at night
The Fortnum and Mason caf is located inside the Pavilion
Serpentine Pavilion 2015
Project Team and Advisors
Architects
selgascano
Project Directors
Julia Peyton-Jones, with
Hans Ulrich Obrist
Serpentine Galleries
Project Leader
Julie Burnell, Project Leader
Curators
Jochen Volz, Head of Programmes
Emma Enderby, Exhibitions Curator
Serpentine Galleries
Technical Advisors: AECOM with David Glover
AECOM
Thomas Webster
Michael Orr
Jack Wilshaw
Katja Leszczynska
Construction
Ted Featonby
Alan Doyle
Stage One Creative Services Ltd
Consultants
Barnaby Collins, with
Katie Smith, DP9
Project Advisors
Michael Bloomberg, Chairman, Serpentine Board of Trustees
Zaha Hadid, Architect, Serpentine Board of Trustees
Colin Buttery, Director of Parks, The Royal Parks
Andrew Williams, Parks Superintendent, The Royal Parks
Westminster City Council Planning Office
Hassan Lashkariani, Westminster City Council District Surveyors Office
(Building Control)
Jenny Wilson, Westminster City Council (Licensing Authority)
London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
London Region, English Heritage
Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
Engineers Statement
The 2015 Serpentine Pavilion hinges on extremes and opposites. It is a
building of pleasing contrasts and tantalising contradictions.
We pushed engineering innovation to its limits to meet the architects goal of
movement and lightness. Our minimalist steel frame provides the canvas for
the colourful cladding to deform and deflect within a dynamic structure.
Rigidity in the structural form permits flexibility in the finishes. This
juxtaposition of weightlessness and solidity is just one of the Pavilions
inherent contrasts.
To achieve a sense of light and openness, we adopted an innovative
technique that minimised the number of structural interventions. Every
centimetre of the frame has a structural purpose; nothing is superfluous.
There are no beams or columns to detract from the sense of space and light.
Creativity in the design of the structural form reduces density in the space.
The darkness of the steelwork contrasts with the bright, multicoloured
cladding.
The Serpentine Pavilion is famous for pushing boundaries in architectural
design and as engineers we must rise to this challenge, frequently performing
innovative, technical and creative feats that are industry firsts. We took an
innovative approach to achieving the architects vision of a multicoloured
kaleidoscope by printing the Pavilions 19 colours onto translucent fluorine-
based plastic called Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). Ordering pre-
coloured material only available in bulk would not only have been prohibitively
expensive but would also have dramatically increased the Pavilions carbon
footprint this would have been against the architects desire for the design
to connect with nature.
The engineering challenge is further intensified by the tight project
timescales: from the moment the first shovel hits the ground, the Pavilion
must be delivered in just seven weeks. Creating a temporary building brings
no fewer challenges than if it were permanent. People want to use the space
in exactly the same way, whether to mingle, meet, eat, relax, think and work.
As engineers we provide the invisible, technical magic that transforms an
architectural vision into a building that functions so it becomes a space for
people to enjoy.
Serpentine Pavilions 2000 2015
Key Facts
Each summer the Serpentine invites an internationally renowned architect to
create their first built structure in England. The immediacy of the process a
maximum of six months from invitation to completion provides a unique
model for commissioning architecture. The selection of the architects, chosen
for consistently extending the boundaries of architecture practice, is led by
the Serpentines core curatorial thinking, introducing contemporary artists
and architects to a wider audience. The brief is to design a 300 square metre
Pavilion that is used as a caf by day and a forum for learning, debate and
entertainment at night. There is no budget for the project: it is realised
through sponsorship, help-in-kind support and the sale of the Pavilion.
Landmark temporary structures by internationally renowned
architects who have not yet completed a structure in the UK
Annual commission conceived by Serpentine Gallery Director, Julia
Peyton-Jones in 2000
Unique initiative worldwide, which has resulted in 15 temporary
buildings for London
Attracting up to 300,000 visitors annually, the Pavilions regularly
feature as one of the top 10 most visited architectural and design
exhibitions in the world
Each Pavilion project, from commission to completion, takes six
months
Serpentine Pavilion designers to date: Smiljan Radi, 2014; Sou
Fujimoto, 2013; Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei, 2012; Peter
Zumthor, 2011; Jean Nouvel, 2010; Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa
of SANAA, 2009; Frank Gehry, 2008; Olafur Eliasson and Kjetil
Thorsen, 2007; Rem Koolhaas and Cecil Balmond Arup, 2006; lvaro
Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura with Cecil Balmond, Arup, 2005;
MVRDV with Arup, 2004 (unrealised); Oscar Niemeyer, 2003; Toyo Ito
with Arup, 2002; Daniel Libeskind with Arup, 2001; Zaha Hadid, 2000
There is no budget for the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion commission. It is
paid for by sponsorship, sponsorship help-in-kind, philanthropists,
trusts, foundations and the sale of the finished structure, which does
not cover more than 40% of its cost.
Park Nights is an annual series of events staged on selected Friday
nights throughout the summer in the Serpentine Pavilion. This years
programme includes music, performances, talks and film screenings.
The season culminates in October with the annual Marathon,
conceived by Hans Ulrich Obrist, Serpentine Galleries Co-Director.
Serpentine Pavilions 2000 2014
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2014
Designed by Smiljan Radi
Chilean architect Smiljan Radi designed the
fourteenth Serpentine Pavilion, a semi-translucent,
cylindrical structure that resembled a shell. It was
inspired by the follies that were popular between the
late sixteenth and early nineteenth century.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013
Designed by Sou Fujimoto
Sou Fujimotos white steel pole Pavilion in an
intricate latticework pattern seemed to rise up out of
the ground like a shimmering matrix. The Pavilion
was intended as a free-flowing social space that
Fujimoto described as a transparent terrain.
Visitors called it The Cloud.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2012
Designed by Herzog & de Meuron and
Ai Weiwei
The 12th Pavilion took visitors beneath the lawn to
explore the hidden history of its previous Pavilions.
Eleven columns characterising each past Pavilion
and a twelfth column representing the current
structure supported a floating platform roof.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2011
Designed by Peter Zumthor
At the heart of Peter Zumthors Pavilion was a
garden he hoped would inspire visitors to become
observers. Zumthor said his design aimed, to help
its audience take the time to relax, to observe and
then, perhaps, start to talk again.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2010
Designed by Jean Nouvel
Jean Nouvel's Pavilion design was a vivid red-
reminiscent of a London double decker bus -
that contrasted with the green of the park. It
was made from bold geometric forms, large
retractable awnings and a sloped freestanding
wall.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009
Designed by Kazuyo Sejima and
Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA
Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawas stunning
Pavilion saw a reflective metal roof sitting atop a
series of delicate columns. They said of it, 'The
Pavilion is floating aluminium, drifting freely
between the trees like smoke.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2008
Designed by Frank Gehry
Frank Gehry took inspiration from Leonardo de Vinci
for his Pavilion. The structure was composed of large
timber planks and a complex network of overlapping
glass planes that created a dramatic, multi-
dimensional space designed for performances.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2007
Designed by Olafur Eliasson and Kjetil Thorsen
Serpentine Gallerys 2007 Pavilion resembled a
spinning top. A wide spiralling ramp made two
complete turns, rising from the gallerys lawn to the
seating area and continued upwards, to reach the
highest point in a view across Kensington Gardens.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2006
Rem Koolhaas with Cecil Balmond
Arup
The centrepiece of Rem Koolhaas and Cecil
Balmond's design was a spectacular oval-shaped
inflatable canopy. Made from translucent material, it
was illuminated at night. The canopy was raised into
the air or lowered to cover the amphitheatre below
according to the weather.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2005
lvaro Siza and Eduardo Souto de Moura with
Cecil Balmond Arup
The 2005 Pavilion architects sought to establish a
dialogue with the Serpentine building. The result was
a structure that mirrored the domestic scale of the
gallery and reflected the landscape between the two
buildings.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2003
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer
Built in steel, aluminium, concrete and glass, Oscar
Niemeyers Pavilion's ruby-red ramp contrasted with the
surprise of a partly submerged auditorium. The clean
silhouette conformed to Niemeyer's principle that every
project must be capable of summary in a simple 'sketch'.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2002
Designed by Toyo Ito with Arup
Toyo Ito and Cecil Balmonds Pavilion was based on
an algorithm designed by Balmond. "Although fun to
look at, this structure was rooted in complex
geometrythe Pavilion had no faade and no hidden
structural frame behind it what you saw was 100%
pure structure, its holistic beauty like that of a
crystal or a snowflake, he said.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2001
Designed by Daniel Libeskind with Arup
Daniel Libeskind's striking design for the
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2001, entitled
Eighteen Turns, was created from sheer metallic
planes assembled in a dynamic sequence.
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2000
Designed by Zaha Hadid
Zaha Hadid's design was the inaugural Pavilion in
the Serpentines series. The structure radically
reinvented the accepted idea of a tent or a
marquee. It took the form of a triangulated roof
structure spanning an impressive internal space of
600sq metres by using a steel primary structure.
Serpentine Pavilion 2015
Designed by selgascano
Serpentine Pavilion 2015
Sponsors and Supporters
The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion is, both artistically and financially, a hugely
ambitious undertaking. The construction and realisation of the Pavilion relies
entirely on the support of a significant group of companies and individuals:
Serpentine Galleries Summer Season supported by
The Lars Windhorst Foundation
The Lars Windhorst Foundation is a new Foundation for education and
cultural projects. It is currently being established and will launch in 2015.
Serpentine Pavilion sponsored by
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking,
securities and investment management firm that provides a wide range of
financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes
corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth
individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is based in New York and it maintains
offices in all major financial centres around the world.
Advisor
AECOM is dedicated to creating, enhancing and sustaining the world's built,
natural and social environments. Our designers, engineers, economists,
planners, scientists, cost consultants and project managers use their
expertise and commitment to excellence to craft innovative solutions to make
the world a better place. This unique multi-disciplinary offering assures
positive outcomes for clients in market sectors as diverse as culture,
commercial, infrastructure, healthcare, sports, leisure and residential.
aecom.com
Supported By
Stage One is a creative construction and manufacturing company, working
within the architecture, theatre and events industries. Ingenuity and invention
lie at their very core. This is the seventh year Stage One has delivered the
Serpentine Pavilion and recently manufactured and constructed the UK
Pavilion at Expo 2015 in Milan. stageone.co.uk
Gold Sponsor
Weil, Gotshal & Manges is a leader in the marketplace for sophisticated,
international legal services and acts for many of the most successful
companies in the world in their high-stakes matters and transactions. The
firm has more than 1,200 lawyers across the US, Europe and Asia. weil.com
Silver Sponsor
Grangewood is proud to support the Serpentine Pavilion 2015. As
refurbishment and new build specialists in Londons super prime residential
marketplace, the company ethos remains as always, Build Excellence with
Integrity. grangewood.co.uk
Bronze Sponsors
Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP (DKCM) is a global institutional
alternative asset management firm with approximately $26.1 billion in assets
under management. DKCM seeks to achieve consistent positive absolute
returns with low correlation to the equity markets through fundamental,
bottom-up investments in distressed investments, merger arbitrage,
long/short equities and convertible arbitrage. dkpartners.com
DP9 is established as one of the leading expert consultancies in planning,
development and regeneration in the UK. The partnership is an independent
practice providing advice to major developers and landowners on the most
exciting and challenging town planning projects. DP9 is currently advising on
over 7,500,000 square meters of floor space for clients in both the private
and public sectors. dp9.co.uk
Founded in 1956, the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine
Arts makes project-based grants to individuals and organisations and
produces public programmes to foster the development and exchange of
diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts,
culture and society. In addition to an international grants programme the
Graham Foundation produces three major exhibitions per year and a host of
public programmes that engage contemporary issues in architecture and the
related arts. The Graham Foundation is also home to Chicagos only
architectural bookshop, which offers a selection of publications on
architecture, art and design, many of which have been supported by grants.
The crisp and refreshing beer with an unmistakable Italian taste, Peroni
Nastro Azzurro is one of the most successful premium beer brands in the
world and a star in the SABMiller portfolio. Peroni Nastro Azzurro is a truly
international brand, with a presence in six continents. Key markets include
the UK, Australia, US, and South Africa as well as Canada, India, Russia,
Colombia, France, Spain, Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and, of course, its home
in Italy. Peroniitaly.com
Site Engineering Surveys leading land surveyors, building surveyors and
construction surveyors based in London and working throughout the UK
specialising in survey control, topographical surveys, measured building
surveys, BIM, Revit models, structural monitoring, 3D laser scans and setting
out. SES are once again pleased to be involved with providing the survey
expertise required in the construction of the latest Serpentine Pavilion.
sesltd.uk.com
The Technical Department has been providing power and lighting to the
events industry for over 25 years and has supported hundreds of memorable
events worldwide. Its portfolio covers live sporting events, fashion shows,
music awards, temporary and permanent installations.
thetechnicaldepartment.com
TSS is an SIA accredited supplier of manned guarding and security. Using
proven recruitment and training policies supported by experienced
management, it provides value-added solutions for requirements of every size
and sector. TSS is not just the countrys largest private security company, but
is considered by many as the best. www.totalsecurity.co.uk
Wep a professional health, safety and environmental consultancy that
provides the construction industry workforce and organisations with
exceptional training, testing, advice and support. By bringing its vast
experience, extensive knowledge and understanding together; WEP has
ensured that it has no middle men, just a team of dedicated consultants and
trainers who work around the clock to meet deadlines and provide an
unrivalled service. wep-hse.com
Patrons
Gumuchdjian Architects
Thomas Dane
Serpentine Galleries supported by
