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7 February 2025A place in time
Memory and time inspire the 25th iteration of London’s Serpentine Pavilion.
Words: Dan Hayes
B Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum will design the 2025 Pavilion at London’s Serpentine Gallery.
Entitled A Capsule in Time, Tabassum’s creation is scheduled to be unveiled in the capital on 6 June and is the latest of a series of thought-provoking temporary structures that have been created annually at the Hyde Park site for the past 25 years.
Tabassum and her firm, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), have worked on projects across Bangladesh and focus in addition on issues relating to climate change and architecture’s role in addressing living conditions of marginalised communities in the region.
Her 2025 Pavilion will comprise four wooden capsule forms with a translucent façade that diffuses and dapples light. It will also make use of an on-site tree to add a natural element and to anchor the design.
The design emphasises the sensory aspects of architecture through scale and its use of light and shadow. It also draws on the history and architectural language of traditional shamiyana tents that are used across South Asia for shelter and special occasions.
Discussing the commission, Marina Tabassum said: “When conceiving our design, we reflected on the transient nature of the commission, which appears to us as a capsule of memory and time.
“Architecture is a tool to leave 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 a memory of the lived spaces continued through tales.
“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 events and encounters taking place in this versatile space that unifies people through conversations and connections.”