The new Serpentine Galleries summer pavilion reinterprets the tradition of the English garden through a fluid, permeable structure open to the community
Every year, the summer appointment in London’s Kensington Gardens redefines the boundaries of international temporary architecture. For summer 2026, the prestigious commission features the Mexican studio LANZA atelier, founded in 2015 by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo. The work, symbolically titled “a serpentine,” will welcome visitors until October 25, 2026, transforming the London lawn into an open-air laboratory for connection and dialogue.
This year’s selection, guided by an exceptional panel including CEO Bettina Korek, Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist, and architect Sou Fujimoto as special advisor, confirms the festival’s historic goal: giving a platform to emerging and internationally renowned designers for their first completed work in the United Kingdom.
The Geometry of Encounter: The “Crinkle-Crankle” Wall
The conceptual core of the project lies in the reinterpretation of a typical element of British architectural tradition: the crinkle-crankle wall, a brick structure with a sinuous, wavy profile. Originating in ancient Egypt and introduced to England by Dutch engineers, this unique curvilinear shape provides lateral stability to the structure while paradoxically requiring fewer bricks than a straight wall.
The Serpentine Pavilion 2026 adopts this sinuosity for its southern wall, creating a clear visual reference to the shape of the nearby Serpentine Lake. However, LANZA atelier’s intent is not to divide, but to unite. Through the rhythmic repetition of brick columns, the walls continuously transition from opacity to transparency. The wall thus ceases to be a visual boundary or a barrier, becoming a device for connection, allowing glances to pierce through the space and inviting people to move freely within it.
Material Dialogue and Bespoke Furniture
The choice of brick as the primary material is no coincidence. The designers wanted to activate a chromatic and material dialogue with the brick facade of the nearby Serpentine South Gallery, originally built as a tea pavilion in 1933-34. Atop this earthy materiality rests a translucent, lightweight roof that sits delicately on the columns like an artificial canopy, filtering light and air and dissolving the boundary between inside and outside.
The studio’s holistic approach is also reflected in the furniture. LANZA atelier has designed a line of chairs and stools locally crafted from sapele hardwood. These flexible elements can be reconfigured into various curves to suit visitors’ needs. Furthermore, the Serpentine Pavilion 2026 experience extends onto the southern lawn thanks to a long, sinuous bench designed to encourage lingering and spontaneous interaction in the open air. For the occasion, the studio has also designed a limited-edition stool inspired by the seeds of the coco de mer, the proceeds of which will directly support the institution’s cultural programs.
Serpentine Pavilion 2026: A Schedule of Events and Live Performances
More than a mere architectural object, the Serpentine Pavilion 2026 is conceived as a vibrant civic space: a café and meeting point by day, a forum for debate and entertainment by night. Throughout its opening months, the structure will host the experimental Park Nights series, curated by Claude Adjil, featuring events dedicated to music, poetry, and dance.
For those wishing to delve deeper into the genesis of the work, Saturday Talks are scheduled—special guided tours led by curators Liz Stumpf and Tamsin Hong (planned for July 25, August 29, and October 10, 2026). Visitors can also access multimedia content and the architects’ introduction via the free digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app, available directly on-site through the gallery’s public Wi-Fi.
Photo Iwan Baan
