Serpentine Galleries announced that Korean architect Minsuk Cho and his Seoul-based studio, Mass Studies, have been selected to design the 23rd Edition of Serpentine Pavilion. The details about the pavilion will be unveiled on 5 June 2024.
The “Archipelagic Void” pavilion will comprise of five “islands” arranged around an open space. Mass Studies plans for a void that is defined by several smaller, adaptable structures located at its periphery, interweaving with the natural ecology of the park and its temporal conditions. A constellation of these structures will shape a unique central circular void, inspired by traditional Korean houses. The central void will act as the Madang, which is a small courtyard found in old Korean houses. It will accommodate rich spatial narratives, both individual everyday activities and large collective events.
“Around the void, each structure of this multifaceted Pavilion will be envisioned as a “content machine” each individually named and serving a different purpose. The Gallery will act as the welcoming main entry, extending Serpentine South’s curatorial activities outside, while the Auditorium will serve as a gathering area. A small library will be featured to the north of the Pavilion, offering a moment of pause. The Tea House will honor the Serpentine South’s historical role as a tea pavilion. The Play Tower, the most open space, will feature a netted structure.” stated in a press release.
Minsuk Cho, Architect, Mass Studies, said: “We are honoured and grateful to be chosen as the next Serpentine Pavilion Architect. We began by asking what can be uncovered and added to the Serpentine site, which has already explored over 20 iterations at the center of the lawn, from a roster of great architects and artists.” and added, “To approach this new chapter differently, instead of viewing it as a carte blanche, we embraced the challenge of considering the many existing peripheral elements while exploring the center as a void. It also begins to address the history of the Serpentine Pavilion. By inverting the center as a void, we shift our architectural focus away from the built center of the past, facilitating new possibilities and narratives.”
Bettina Korek, Chief Executive, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director, Serpentine, said: “We are honored to present Minsuk Cho’s first structure on UK soil here at Serpentine as our next architecture Pavilion, opening this summer. Titled “Archipelagic Void,” Cho’s Pavilion is modular by nature, composed of individual structures that serve specific functions, yet which also come together as a continuous unit.”
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