Art World
Chilean Architect Smiljan Radic Reveals Surprising Design for the 2014 Serpentine Pavilion
Coline Milliard
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The 2014 Serpentine Pavilion might well be the most unusual to date. Designed by the relatively unknown Chilean architect Smiljan Radic, the temporary structure has been described by the Guardian’s Oliver Wainwright as a “a delicate white fibreglass cocoon, resting on a ring of boulders above a sunken grassy bowl, as if a mutant spider had spun a great nest on top of a Neolithic stone circle.”
The design is intriguing to say the least and miles away from the pristine structures that have graced Kensington Gardens in past summers. The choice shows a change of attitude from the Serpentine, which has long favored big names such as Frank Gehry, Jean Nouvel, and Zaha Hadid.
Talking to the Guardian, the architect said he wanted to “bring back a sense of primitive space to the tradition of the folly in the park.” His “cocoon” will open to the public on June 26.
