African-born Di茅b茅do Francis K茅r茅 unveils tree-themed structure for summer festivities

Berlin-based architect Di茅b茅do Francis K茅r茅 has been chosen to design this year鈥檚 Serpentine Pavillion, which will take pride of place in London鈥檚 Kensington Gardens over the summer months.

The K茅r茅 Architecture principal, who was born in the west African country of Burkina Faso, becomes the latest architect invited to construct a pavilion since the programme began in 2000.

Francis K茅r茅 said his design was inspired by the tree that serves as the central meeting point in his hometown of Gando, where the architect built a primary school that won the 2004 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

His design features an expansive wooden roof supported by a central steel framework with wood walls, and aims to offer shade on sunny days as well as protection from the rain.

The Serpentine Galllery said the structure鈥檚 oculus would funnel rainwater from the roof to create a 鈥渟pectacular鈥� waterfall effect, before it was collected to irrigate the surrounding park.

 

Serpentine Pavilion 2017

Source: K茅r茅 Architecture

Interior of the 2017 Serpentine Pavilion, designed by Francis K茅r茅

 

Francis K茅r茅 said the Serpentine Gallery鈥檚 surroundings had all been carefully designed and that he was 鈥渇ascinated鈥� by how the artificial landscape of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens had offered a new way for Londoners to experience nature.

鈥淚n Burkina Faso, I am accustomed to being confronted with climate and natural landscape as a harsh reality,鈥� he said.

鈥淔or this reason, I was interested in how my contribution to this Royal Park could not only enhance the visitor鈥檚 experience of nature but also provoke a new way for people to connect with each other.鈥�

Francis K茅r茅 鈥榮 selection for the 2017 pavilion follows Bjarke Ingels Group鈥檚 鈥渦nzipped wall鈥� structure, which was visited by 250,000 people in 2016.

Other previous pavilion architects include Zaha Hadid, Oscar Niemeyer, Frank Gehry and Herzog & de Meuron with Ai Weiwei.

The architect was chosen for the pavilion by a panel including Serpentine artistic director Hans Ulrich Orbist, chief executive Yana Peel, along with architects Richard Rogers and David Adjaye.

This year鈥檚 pavilion commission is the first not to be overseen by programme founder Julia Peyton-Jones, who stepped down as gallery director in 2016.

 

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