The pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery in London annually becomes a showcase for one of the world’s best contemporary architects from July to October. The annual temporary design attracts many thousands of visitors in October and gives an indication of the designs and materials with which architects experiment. This year’s design was the work of the Spaniards José Selgas and Lucía Cano. Their practice, SelgasCano, was founded in 1998 and is based in Madrid, the city where they studied architecture. Their design for the Serpentine is reminiscent of a wriggling worm in cheerful ice cream colours.

 

 

 

The British Guardian described their designs as a fascinating mix of high and low technology. It is written that the work is frequently constructed from inexpensive, unexpected components like used sheets of plastic and corrugated iron, but the manner in which these are combined has a painterly quality and incredible use of colour. Selgas is quoted as saying that their point of departure is that nature must have precedence over architecture.

In an interview with the design website Dezeen, SelgasCano describe their Serpentine design as an experiment in plastic – coloured, transparent and reflective.

 

 

 

 

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