Blending its historical heritage with the modernity of Mexican and British architecture, we discover the recently-inaugurated temporary Pavilion on the Serpentine Gallery, lawn in Kensington Gardens and sponsored by Goldman Sachs. This year, Serpentine Galleries Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist and CEO Yana Peel selected Frida Escobedo to reactivate the urban space.

The Mexican architect explained that her design is “a meeting of material and historical inspirations, inseparable from the city of London itself”. “For the Pavilion, we have added the materials of light and shadow, reflection and refraction, turning the building into a timepiece that charts the passage of the day”. The inspiration for the language of the design used came from the celosia - a traditional breeze wall commom in Mexican architecture - that is now composed of a lattice of cement roof tiles that diffuse the view out into the park, transforming it into a vibrant blur of greens and blues. “As the sun moves across the sky, reflected and refracted by these features, visitors will feel a heightened awareness of time spent in play, improvisation and contemplation over the summer months.”

All these features enhance the feeling of relaxation and discovery. Serpentine Pavilion becomes the perfect place to gather, where visitors can enjoy a complete shared experience. Once again, the pavilion will host the Park Nights, an annual series of experimental, interdisciplinary commissions on selected Friday evenings, the Architecture Family Pack and Programme, giving children and families the chance to explore the Pavilion from playful and original perspectives, and the Radical Kitchen, where artists, activists and researchers will gather with the public to consider different foodstuffs and elements.