• • 21 February 2017

Francis Kéré has become the first African architect to be chosen to design the Serpentine Pavillion for 2017. In a selection done by a team including David Adjaye and Richard Rogers, Francis Kere proposes a characteristic and radically simple structure that he envisions as a way to inculcate the values that he has been known for with a pinch of contemporary modernism.

The brief called for a bold, innovative structure and Kere's design brings his characteristic sense of light and life to the lawns of Kensington Gardens. Kéré is the seventeenth architect to accept the Serpentine Galleries' invitation to design a temporary Pavilion in its grounds. Since its launch in 2000, this annual commission of an international architect to build his or her first structure in London at the time of invitation has become one of the most anticipated events in the global cultural calendar and a leading visitor attraction during London's summer season.

The pavillion is indeed a welcomes departure from the high end sculptural and ostentatious architecture that has characterized previous pavilions and speaks to Kere's work adopted from his previous works in Gando, Burkina Faso. His is a struggle to remain true to his identity but still keep up with the current times, with the technology and the advancements uplifting architecture today. The resulting piece is a steel cantilever that is encircled by a proverbial village, withy the extensive and impressive "royal" cantilever working as a means to contain the persistent London rain.

You can clearly see the invocation of the tree in Kere's work, a commonality, a gathering of sort, something that he has consistently sort to portray in his work latest being the Burkinabe Parliament concept that he proposed earlier last year. In all fairness, it is a toned down African coming of age design with careful socio-cultural tapestry that seeks to not to be beguiling but rather honest and open.

From the Architect:
The proposed design for the 2017 Serpentine Pavilion is conceived as a micro cosmos – a community structure within Kensington Gardens that fuses cultural references of my home country Burkina Faso with experimental construction techniques. My experience of growing up in a remote desert village has instilled a strong awareness of the social, sustainable, and cultural implications of design. I believe that architecture has the power to, surprise, unite, and inspire all while mediating important aspects such as community, ecology and economy.

In Burkina Faso, the tree is a place where people gather together, where everyday activities play out under the shade of its branches. My design for the Serpentine Pavilion has a great over-hanging roof canopy made of steel and a transparent skin covering the structure, which allows sunlight to enter the space while also protecting it from the rain. Wooden shading elements line the underside of the roof to create a dynamic shadow effect on the interior spaces. This combination of features promotes a sense of freedom and community; like the shade of the tree branches, the Pavilion becomes a place where people can gather and share their daily experiences.

Fundamental to my architecture is a sense of openness. In the Pavilion this is achieved by the wall system, which is comprised of prefabricated wooden blocks assembled into triangular modules with slight gaps, or apertures, between them. This gives a lightness and transparency to the building enclosure. The composition of the curved walls is split into four elements, creating four different access points to the Pavilion. Detached from the roof canopy, these elements allow air to circulate freely throughout.

At the centre of the Pavilion is a large opening in the canopy, creating an immediate connection to nature. In times of rain, the roof becomes a funnel channelling water into the heart of the structure. This rain collection acts symbolically, highlighting water as a fundamental resource for human survival and prosperity.

In the evening, the canopy becomes a source of illumination. Wall perforations will give glimpses of movement and activity inside the pavilion to those outside. In my home village of Gando (Burkina Faso), it is always easy to locate a celebration at night by climbing to higher ground and searching for the source of light in the surrounding darkness. This small light becomes larger as more and more people arrive to join the event. In this way the Pavilion will become a beacon of light, a symbol of storytelling and togetherness.

Francis Kéré, Kéré Architecture - February 2017

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    © Francis Kéré envisions a Radically Simple 2017 ...

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    © Francis Kéré envisions a Radically Simple 2017 ...

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    © Francis Kéré envisions a Radically Simple 2017 ...

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    © Francis Kéré envisions a Radically Simple 2017 ...

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