Serpentine Pavilion 2026 by LANZA Atelier: Celebrating 25 Years

The Serpentine Pavilion 2026 marks a significant milestone in architectural history as it celebrates the 25th anniversary of this prestigious London commission. Mexico City-based architecture studio LANZA Atelier, founded by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo, has been selected to design this year’s pavilion, titled “a serpentine.” The structure will open to the public on June 6, 2026, and remain on display until October 25 at London’s Kensington Gardens, adjacent to Serpentine South.

This commission represents only the second time Mexican architects have been appointed to design the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion since Frida Escobedo’s celebrated installation in 2018. LANZA Atelier’s design draws deeply from English architectural heritage while introducing contemporary spatial ideas that challenge conventional notions of enclosure and permeability.

What is the Serpentine Pavilion?

The Serpentine Pavilion is an annual temporary architecture commission organized by the Serpentine Galleries in London. Since its inception in 2000, the program has invited internationally renowned architects who have not yet completed a building in England to design a temporary structure for Kensington Gardens. The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in London has become one of the world’s most anticipated architectural events, attracting approximately 300,000 visitors annually.

The inaugural pavilion was designed by the legendary Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid in 2000, originally commissioned for the gallery’s 30th anniversary celebration. What began as a single event evolved into an annual tradition that has showcased the work of some of the world’s most influential architects, including Frank Gehry, Rem Koolhaas, Peter Zumthor, Herzog & de Meuron with Ai Weiwei, and Sou Fujimoto.

Where is the Serpentine Pavilion Located?

The Serpentine Pavilion in London is situated in the Royal Park of Kensington Gardens, positioned on the lawn adjacent to Serpentine South gallery. This location places it within one of London’s most visited green spaces, near the Serpentine Lake from which the galleries derive their name. The Serpentine Pavilion Gallery setting creates a unique dialogue between contemporary architecture and the historic English landscape garden tradition.

Visitors can access the pavilion via several Underground stations, including Lancaster Gate on the Central Line, Knightsbridge on the Piccadilly Line, and Hyde Park Corner. The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion London location offers free admission, making it accessible to architecture enthusiasts, tourists, and local residents alike throughout its summer display period.

LANZA Atelier’s Design Concept: A Serpentine Wall Reimagined

The 2026 pavilion centers on the English architectural feature known as a serpentine wall, also called a crinkle-crankle wall. These distinctive undulating structures, which date back to ancient construction traditions, derive their stability from their curving form rather than thickness. A serpentine wall requires fewer bricks than a straight wall of equivalent strength, as its sinusoidal shape provides inherent lateral stability against horizontal forces like wind.

The name “a serpentine” directly references this architectural element while creating a subtle connection to the nearby Serpentine Lake, whose gentle curve evokes the form of a serpent. According to the architects, the pavilion is conceived as a device that both reveals and withholds, shaping movement, modulating rhythm, and framing thresholds of proximity, orientation, and pause.

The Historical Significance of Serpentine Walls

Serpentine walls have deep roots in English architectural history, particularly in Suffolk where over 100 examples still survive. The technique was likely introduced to England by Dutch engineers in the 17th century during the draining of the Fens marshlands. These engineers built what they called “slange muur” or snake walls, structures well-suited to the flat, exposed terrain of East Anglia. The crinkle-crankle design gained particular popularity during the early 19th century when Britain’s Brick Tax made material efficiency economically advantageous.

LANZA Atelier’s design honors this vernacular tradition while translating it into a contemporary architectural language. The south wall of the pavilion incorporates the characteristic serpentine form, while the north wall curves responsively around the existing tree canopy, creating a dialogue with the surrounding landscape.

Material Choice: Brick as the Primary Medium

The architects selected brick as the primary material to celebrate the distinctly English garden tradition and establish a conversation with the existing brick façade of Serpentine South, which was originally built as a tea pavilion in 1934. This material choice reflects LANZA Atelier’s broader practice philosophy, which emphasizes the use of local, industrial, or artisanal materials and construction techniques.

The pavilion is constructed from a rhythmic repetition of brick columns that transform the wall from opaque to permeable. A translucent roof allows light and air to permeate the space, softening the boundary between enclosure and openness. The roof rests lightly on brick columns that evoke a grove of trees, creating an interior space that feels both sheltered and connected to the park environment.

Sustainability Through Craft

Brick represents one of architecture’s most enduring materials, offering exceptional longevity and minimal maintenance requirements. As noted in contemporary brick architecture discussions, the material continues to bridge tradition and innovation, addressing sustainability concerns through durability rather than disposability. LANZA Atelier’s design demonstrates how material restraint and vernacular craft can generate spatial richness while honoring sustainable design principles.

Celebrating 25 Years of Architectural Experimentation

The 2026 edition marks a quarter-century of the Serpentine Pavilion commission, a milestone that Serpentine is commemorating through a partnership with the Zaha Hadid Foundation. This collaboration celebrates the legacy of Zaha Hadid, whose inaugural pavilion established the program’s commitment to architectural experimentation and whose motto—”there should be no end to experimentation”—continues to guide the commission’s philosophy.

To accompany the 2026 Pavilion, Serpentine will publish LANZA Atelier’s first monograph, designed by Estudio Herrera. The publication will include new contributions from architecture, art, and poetry, alongside an extended conversation between the architects and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Serpentine’s Artistic Director, and an essay by José Esparza Chong Cuy.

The 2026 Selection Committee

The pavilion selection was made by a committee including Serpentine CEO Bettina Korek, Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist, Director of Construction and Special Projects Julie Burnell, Curator of Exhibitions Chris Bayley, Curator of Exhibitions Tamsin Hong, and Assistant Curator of Exhibitions Liz Stumpf. Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, who designed the celebrated 2013 Serpentine Pavilion, served as advisor to the selection committee.

Where Are the Serpentine Pavilions Now?

For those interested in experiencing past Serpentine Pavilions, many have been acquired by collectors, institutions, and venues worldwide. While locations change over time, several notable examples include installations in private estates, cultural institutions, and hospitality venues across Europe and beyond. The Serpentine Galleries website maintains documentation of all previous pavilions and their historical significance to the program.

Visiting the Serpentine Pavilion 2026

The Serpentine Pavilion 2026 will be open to visitors from June 6 through October 25, 2026. Admission is free. The pavilion will host a program of cultural events, lectures, film screenings, and performances throughout its exhibition period, continuing the tradition of using the structure as what Serpentine describes as a “content machine.”

For architecture students, professionals, and enthusiasts interested in architectural travel, the Serpentine Pavilion represents an unmissable opportunity to experience cutting-edge contemporary design in dialogue with London’s historic landscape. Combined with visits to other significant London architectural sites, including the Serpentine North gallery designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the pavilion offers a rich exploration of contemporary architecture’s relationship to place, material, and tradition.