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  • Serpentine Gallery...Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA12 Jul 2009 to 18 Oct 2009 at Serpentine Pavilion
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Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

An aluminium canopy floats among the trees

Serpentine Pavilion

12 Jul 2009 to 18 Oct 2009

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Admission Free

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The 2009 Pavilion was designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of leading Japanese architecture practice SANAA.

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Describing their structure the architects, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, said: 'The Pavilion is floating aluminium, drifting freely between the trees like smoke. Its appearance changes according to the weather, allowing it to melt into the surroundings. It works as a field of activity with no walls, allowing uninterrupted view across the park and encouraging access from all sides.'

Sejima and Nishizawa created a stunning Pavilion that resembled a reflective cloud or a floating pool of water, sitting atop a series of delicate columns. The metal roof structure varied in height, wrapping itself around the trees in the park, reaching up towards the sky and sweeping down almost to the ground in various places. Open and ephemeral in structure, its reflective materials made it sit seamlessly within the natural environment, reflecting both the park and sky around it.

The Pavilion was the architects' first built structure in the UK and the 9th commission in the Gallery's annual series of Pavilions, the world's first and most ambitious architectural programme of its kind that annually gives preeminent architects their debut in this country and brings the best of contemporary architecture to London for everyone to enjoy.

There is no budget for the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion commission. It is paid for by sponsorship, sponsorship help-in-kind, and the sale of the finished structure through Knight Frank, which does not cover more than 40% of its cost. The Serpentine Gallery collaborates with a range of companies and individuals whose support makes it possible to realise the Pavilion.

Julia Peyton-Jones, Director, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Co-Director, Serpentine Gallery, said: 'Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa's design embraces the parkland around the Serpentine Gallery as never before with an extraordinarily innovative design, which reveals the subtle play on light and perception so characteristic of their work. This Pavilion will be a wonderful addition to London's landscape this summer. It is our dream come true.'

Separate areas within the Pavilion contained spaces for a café and an auditorium, where the Park Nights events programme was presented, including performances, talks, film screenings and the Serpentine Gallery Poetry Marathon.

NetJets Europe was the title sponsor for the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009. Mark Booth, Executive Chairman, said: 'Sejima and Nishizawa's design for the Serpentine Pavilion 2009 is truly breathtaking. The incredible light and openness of the concept will make for a stunning structure, which will raise the bar even higher for the much-anticipated Pavilion. Design is an area that we're passionate about at NetJets: we're firmly focussed on how we can bring world-class design to our customers' flight experience; just as the Serpentine Pavilion brings world class architecture to London. We're delighted to be a partner in this project and are looking forward to seeing the finished Pavilion.'

Arup partner Ed Clark commented: 'Arup's eighth year of commitment to the Serpentine Pavilion reflects our belief in the project and the positive experience our teams get from collaborating with some of the most exciting architects of our time. This year's Pavilion does not disappoint and reflects the exciting dynamism that SANAA bring to all of their projects.'

Peter Rogers, director of Stanhope plc, donated his expertise to all aspects of the Pavilion. He said: 'The Serpentine Pavilion is a unique project whose innovative and challenging designs transcend normal building projects as well as fusing art and architecture in an exciting built form.'

On Saturday 11th July, Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa gave a talk examining their groundbreaking design for the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion.

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Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa

Kazuyo Sejima (b. 1956, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan) studied architecture at the Japan Women's University before joining the practice of architect Toyo Ito. She launched her own practice in 1987 and was named the Japan Institute of Architects' Young Architect of the Year in Japan in 1992. In 1995, Sejima, with Ryue Nishizawa (b. 1966, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan), founded the Tokyo-based firm SANAA (Sejima + Nishizawa and Associates). Nishizawa studied architecture at Yokohama National University and, in addition to his work with Sejima, has also maintained an independent practice since 1997. He holds professorships at prestigious institutions such as Yokohama National University. Sejima and Nishizawa were jointly awarded the Golden Lion at the 9th Venice Architecture Biennale in 2004. Sejima teaches as a Visiting Professor both at Tama Art University and Keio University in Tokyo. SANAA's numerous celebrated buildings buildings include Louvre Museum in Lens, France; Toledo Museum of Art's Glass Pavilion in Toledo, Ohio, USA; the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York, USA. In Japan, SANAA's work includes the N-Museum in Wakayama; the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, and Dior Omotesando.

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Park Nights: New Music Action with Tatsuya Yoshida and Charles Hayward

7 Aug 2009 - 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM

An evening of experimental music that responded to the architecture of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009.

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Park Nights: Giles Round and Mark Aerial Waller Kafe Pittoresk's l’expérience du monde visionnaire

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Park Nights: Alexis Marguerite Teplin's The Party

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A performance of The Party, a play by American artist Alexis Marguerite Teplin, with texts by Pablo Lafuente, Michael Ned Holte and Rachel Kushner.

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Park Nights: Darwin’s Nightmare

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Hubert Sauper’s film, Darwin's Nightmare (2004,106 mins, colour DVD), examines the 1960s experiment that introduced Nile Perch fish into Lake Victoria, the largest African lake shared by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

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Park Nights: Mathilde Rosier's Play for a Stage of the Natural Theatre of Cruelty

4 Sep 2009 - 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM

French artist Mathilde Rosier, known for work that intertwines voice, text and melody, restaged her performance previously shown at Silberkuppe, Berlin.

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Park Nights: The Colour of Pomegranates

2 Oct 2009 - 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM

Originally refused an export licence, Paradjanov’s extraordinary film, The Colour of Pomegranates (1969, 88 mins, DVD), traces the life of eighteenth-century Armenian poet Sayat Nova.

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Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009

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An aluminium canopy floats among the trees

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009, by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Tuesday, 8th December 2009
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

2009
Serpentine Gallery, London (12 July - 18 October 2009)

© 2009 SANAA, Photograph © 2009 Edmund Sumner/VIEW

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

2009
Serpentine Gallery, London (12 July - 18 October 2009)

© SANAA, Photograph © 2009 James Newton/VIEW

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

2009
Serpentine Gallery, London (12 July - 18 October 2009)

© 2009 SANAA, Photograph © 2009 Edmund Sumner/VIEW

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

2009
Serpentine Gallery, London (12 July - 18 October 2009)

© SANNA, Photograph © 2009 James Newton/VIEW

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by SANAA construction image

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by SANAA construction image

Construction of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 Designed by Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA

Featured Image: 

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA

Serpentine Gallery, London (12 July - 18 October 2009)

© 2009 SANAA, Photograph © 2009 Nick Guttridge/VIEW

  • Serpentine Gallery...Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2009 by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA12 Jul 2009 to 18 Oct 2009 at Serpentine Pavilion
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Tuesday, 24 Apr 2018

Serpentine Sackler Gallery and Serpentine Gallery

Closed on Monday

Ongoing

Lee Ufan: Relatum - Stage
Exhibition

Lee Ufan: Relatum - Stage

Tuesday, 6th February 2018 to Sunday, 29th July 2018
Admission Free
Serpentine Sculpture Commission

Ongoing

Sondra Perry: Typhoon coming on
Exhibition

Sondra Perry: Typhoon coming on

Tuesday, 6th March 2018 to Sunday, 20th May 2018
Admission Free
Serpentine Sackler Gallery
Ian Cheng: Emissaries
Exhibition

Ian Cheng: Emissaries

Tuesday, 24th April 2018 to Monday, 28th May 2018
Admission Free
Serpentine Gallery
Lee Ufan: Relatum - Stage
Exhibition

Lee Ufan: Relatum - Stage

Tuesday, 6th February 2018 to Sunday, 29th July 2018
Admission Free
Serpentine Sculpture Commission

Ongoing

Sondra Perry: Typhoon coming on
Exhibition

Sondra Perry: Typhoon coming on

Tuesday, 6th March 2018 to Sunday, 20th May 2018
Admission Free
Serpentine Sackler Gallery
Ian Cheng: Emissaries
Exhibition

Ian Cheng: Emissaries

Tuesday, 24th April 2018 to Monday, 28th May 2018
Admission Free
Serpentine Gallery
Lee Ufan: Relatum - Stage
Exhibition

Lee Ufan: Relatum - Stage

Tuesday, 6th February 2018 to Sunday, 29th July 2018
Admission Free
Serpentine Sculpture Commission

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