The Serpentine Gallery’s so-called ‘summer pavilion’ can be seen for a mere three months; from July 20th until October 19th in London’s Kensington Gardens. The contrast between the gallery’s sleek classicist building and the chaotic form of the neighbouring temporary structure is so striking that it gives the impression that this new construction in front of the Serpentine Gallery is the latest victim of a sweeping Hurricane, that has left only a heap of wood, glass, and a few massive beams in its wake. In jest, this is how the most recent, and in fact the only project realized in England by famous architect Frank Gehry might be described. 
Gehry, working together with his son Samuel for the first time on this project, described the design of the pavilion as being inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings of siege engines. Gehry has transformed Leonardo’s giant catapult into a structure of massive wooden blocks, seemingly randomly inclined, which connect to other wooden supports. Together with the glass panels, these create rectangular planes, reminiscent of stylized butterflies’ wings that form the roof of this dramatic space. The open plan structure complete with elevated auditorium remotely resembles an amphitheatre, perfectly fulfilling its function as a site for lectures, projections and performances of all kinds.
Even before the opening of the pavilion itself, the British media had expressed surprise that this world-renowned architect and designer of the Guggenheim
Museum in Bilbao and the ‘Dancing House’ in Prague had not yet built anything in England. Previously, the only example of his work in Britain was the somewhat atypical ‘Maggie’s Centre’ building in Dundee, Scotland. Could it be that in certain cases, the United Kingdom is unwilling to be open to new and inventive architecture? British conservatism is indeed a worthy topic of debate; several recent contemporary buildings might be classed as illustrations of Vitruvius’ ‘Ten Books on Architecture’. This is exemplified by John Simpson’s Queen’s Gallery (2002) built in a Doric, or more precisely Neo-Doric, style.
Museum in Bilbao and the ‘Dancing House’ in Prague had not yet built anything in England. Previously, the only example of his work in Britain was the somewhat atypical ‘Maggie’s Centre’ building in Dundee, Scotland. Could it be that in certain cases, the United Kingdom is unwilling to be open to new and inventive architecture? British conservatism is indeed a worthy topic of debate; several recent contemporary buildings might be classed as illustrations of Vitruvius’ ‘Ten Books on Architecture’. This is exemplified by John Simpson’s Queen’s Gallery (2002) built in a Doric, or more precisely Neo-Doric, style.
This could be one of the reasons why the Serpentine Gallery, having beforehand only exhibited contemporary art, came up with the idea in 2000 to embark upon a series of annual commissions by world famous architects to build temporary pavilions in front of the gallery, presenting the public with ongoing examples of contemporary architecture. One interesting condition still governs the selection: the author of the project should not have previously realized any building in England. In recent years, architects chosen have included Rem Koolhaas, Oscar Niemeyer, Daniel Libeskind and Zaha Hadid. The prestigious commission takes place every year in cooperation with the engineering firm ARUP.Photo: Martin Horáček
Published in Art & Antiques, September 2008 (http://www.artantiques.cz/)
Published in Art & Antiques, September 2008 (http://www.artantiques.cz/)
