Scheme designed by South African practice Counterspace

Counterspace's Serpentine Pavilion_2020_Exterior day CGI

Source: Counterspace / Serpentine Galleries

Counterspace鈥檚 proposal for the 2020/21 Serpentine Pavilion

This summer鈥檚 Serpentine Pavilion commission will be extended to two years for the first time in its history because of the coronavirus lockdown.

South African architects Counterspace will now work on a series of off-site and online research projects this year, culminating next summer in the delayed opening of the pavilion.

Lead architect Sumayya Vally described next year鈥檚 build as 鈥淧avilion 20 plus 1鈥.

David Adjaye, who is a Serpentine Gallery trustee and advises on the annual commission, said the global pandemic had changed the immediate context.

鈥淲e look forward to working with Counterspace over the next 12 months to draw more meaningful connections between their pavilion and the people, communities, and nature of London.鈥

Counterspace's Serpentine Pavilion_2020_Detail Interior CGI

Source: Counterspace / Serpentine Galleries

Counterspace鈥檚 proposal for the 2020/21 Serpentine Pavilion: interior detail

when the three directors 鈥 all born in 1990 鈥 were hailed as the youngest to receive the prestigious commission.

At the time Vally, Sarah de Villiers and Amina Kaskar, said they wanted to engage with London well beyond the railings of Kensington Gardens and announced they would hold events in parts of London known for their immigrant and peripheral communities 鈥 and then bring back items from those neighbourhoods to aid the construction.

The annual summer fundraising party which is held in the pavilion and always attracts a glitzy line-up of celebrities, will also move to 2021, along with the public programme of performances and debates.

The 2020 Serpentine Pavilion had been due to open on 11 June and run till October.

Scores of as a result of coronavirus. The , which should have opened next month, is still hoping to open in August.