Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2025 | A Capsule in Time | MTA | Marina Tabassum Architects

The 2025 Pavilion is elongated in the north-south direction and features a central court that aligns with Serpentine South’s bell tower. Inspired by the tradition of park-going and arched garden canopies that filter soft daylight through green foliage, the sculptural quality of the Pavilion is comprised of four wooden capsule forms with a translucent façade that diffuses and dapples light when infiltrating the space. Central to Tabassum’s design is a kinetic element where one of the capsule forms is able to move and connect, transforming the Pavilion into a new space.

Emphasising the sensory and spiritual possibilities of architecture through scale and the interplay of light and shadow, Tabassum’s design also draws on the history and architectural language of Shamiyana tents or awnings of South Asia. Similarly kinetic in their function, these structures are made up of an external fabric supported by bamboo poles and are commonly erected for outdoor gatherings and celebrations. The openness of Tabassum’s Pavilion welcomes the possibilities of unifying visitors through conversations and connections, live programmes and public convenings.

“We are thrilled to be selected as the architect of this year’s Serpentine Pavilion. When conceiving our design, we reflected on the transient nature of the commission which appears to us as a capsule of memory and time. The relationship between time and architecture is intriguing: between permanence and impermanence, of birth, age and ruin; architecture aspires to outlive time. Architecture is a tool to live behind legacies, fulfilling the inherent human desire for continuity beyond life. In the Bengal delta, architecture is ephemeral as dwellings change locations with the rivers shifting courses. Architecture becomes memories of the lived spaces continued through tales. The archaic volume of a half capsule, generated by geometry and wrapped in light semi-transparent material will create a play of filtered light that will pierce through the structure as if under a Shamiyana at a Bengali wedding. The Serpentine Pavilion offers a unique platform under the summer sun to unite as people rich in diversity. The stage is set, the seats are placed. We envision various 3/6 events and encounters taking place in this versatile space that unifies people through conversations and connections.”

Marina Tabassum