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It is a grim sign of our times that this week鈥檚 unveiling of the annual Serpentine Pavilion began with tributes to all those affected by recent tragedies at Grenfell Tower and Finsbury Park.

But the opportunity was not lost to frame these disasters within the context of resilience and inclusivity that is London鈥檚 trademark and of which this year鈥檚 pavilion offers a powerful and poetic example.

The structure has been designed by Berlin-based Di茅b茅do Francis K茅r茅. As K茅r茅 originally hails from Burkina Faso in west Africa, this is also the first pavilion by an African architect. In homage to K茅r茅鈥檚 homeland it is constructed out of timber, dyed and perforated like West Africa鈥檚 flowing Bobo textiles. And with its flowering timber canopy inspired by a tree, it refers to a natural resource of huge symbolic importance in African culture.

But the tree concept also references what K茅r茅 calls the pavilion鈥檚 鈥済rand鈥� parkland setting. And this is the enduring legacy of this year鈥檚 commission. Its simple form and natural materials may mark a departure from more high-tech commission in recent years. But it is also an ode to the cultural internationalism that forms the proud spirit of London.

Ike Ijeh, architectural correspondent