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removable and reusable, and steel is used for other high stress elements, such as the buckling restraint purlins, acting as a flitch beam.
“Built predominantly with bio-sourced and low-carbon materials, this wooden structure emerges in harmony with its site,” said Ms Ghotmeh. “Appearing like a skeleton, timber ribs are arranged radially to support the suspended, pleated roof. Echoing the structures of tree leaves, the Pavilion’s canopy embraces the nature of the park from which it rises. It reminds us of the many lives blossoming beneath our feet and the concave lines of its perimeter are drawn from the forms in the stems and canopies of adjacent trees. It is an encouragement to enter into a dialogue, to convene and think about how we could reinstate and re-establish our relationship to nature and to the Earth.” The Pavilion was once more prefabricated and erected by Stage One Creative Services, the 14th time they’ve taken on the project. “Every time we are presented with a radically different design and we appreciate how these architectural plans are experimental,” said managing director Tim Leigh.
“The innovative design by Lina Ghotmeh complements our desire to use more sustainable materials, while also advancing our expertise in mass timber building. This is also the second time we’ve used pre-cast concrete pad for the pavilion, which lowers the total amount of carbon embodied in the project and permits reuse of the same foundation when the Pavilion is rebuilt in its permanent position.”
The engineer on À table – and the previous 10 Serpentine Pavilions – was international consultancy AECOM. It’s always a demanding task due to the fixed budget and short programme of the project. But, said director Jon Leach, this drives “spontaneity, innovation and creativity”.
“Balancing the ability of the architect to freely express their vision with practical cost, buildability, time and functional constraints,
Above: The tables and stools were designed in collaboration with The Conran Shop
Above left: The roof deck is made of plywood sheets supported on plywood purlins
Above right: Glulam columns and rafters form the structural frame of the building
as well as the restrictions of working within the Royal Parks is a key challenge that the team embraces every year,” he said. AECOM commented on the central structural role of timber in the Ghotmeh design. “Steel flitching was only used in very specific areas where it is required to restrain the slender glulam rafters,” said Mr Leach. “The glulam columns work in tandem with the delicate fretwork plywood wall panels to stabilise the structure without the need for any additional bracing.”
The design optimisation process, said AECOM, has minimised material use and allowed every piece of the structure to “contribute to the delicate architectural form”. The result is an extremely lightweight superstructure with minimal foundations, which are weighed down with site-won ballast.
Above: Lina Ghotmeh has built a
reputation for focusing on sustainability PHOTO: GILBERT HAGE
The modular build, with prefabrication at Stage One’s York facilities, was also optimised to minimise waste and to simplify fabrication and erection. Residual timber was chipped and used in the company’s biomass heating system. The Pavilion has also been assessed from an embodied carbon perspective throughout the design period and all materials were audited to ensure they were ethically sourced from sustainable supply chains. Another feature of the Pavilion this year will be a range of tables and stools Ms Gotmeh has designed in collaboration with The Conran Shop. These are made in oak with a dark red finish, and 25 of the tables and 57 of the stools will be form a ‘ceremonial display’ inside the structure.
Ms Ghotmeh also highlighted that her building will have a life beyond the brief span of the Serpentine event and that its reincarnation on another site will also be minimal impact.
“It’s designed and engineered so it can be easily disassembled and re-assembled,” she said. “So it will live beyond its Serpentine site, all the while holding the memory of its original ground.” ■
www.ttjonline.com | July/August 2023 | TTJ
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