“I tried to create something melting into the green”- Sou Fujimoto

In this movie by film studio Stephenson/Bishop, Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto explains how he tried to combine nature and architecture when designing this year’s Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, which is open for three more weeks in London’s Kensington Gardens.

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Sou Fujimoto

Built on the lawn outside the Serpentine Gallery, Sou Fujimoto‘s cloud-like pavilion comprises a grid of white poles that ascend upwards to form layered terraces with circles of transparent polycarbonate inserted to shelter from rain and reflect sunlight.

Serpentine Pavilion movie

“From the beginning I didn’t think ‘I’d like to make a cloud’,” says Fujimoto, explaining how he tried to design a structure that would fit in with its surroundings. “I was impressed by the beautiful surroundings of Kensington Garden, the beautiful green, so I tried to create something that was melting into the green.”

Serpentine Pavilion movie

“Of course the structure should be artificial so I tried to create something between architecture and nature; that kind of concept has been a big interest in my career so it is really natural to push forward with that concept for the future,” he adds.

Serpentine Pavilion movie

Fujimoto also speaks about how he wanted to combine inside and outside space within the structure. “The transparency is quite important for me because you can feel the nature, the weather and the different climates, even from inside the pavilion,” he says.

Serpentine Pavilion movie

Fujimoto is the youngest architect to design a Serpentine Gallery Pavilion. “It is kind of a dream for younger architects to be selected so I was excited, but at the same time it was kind of a big pressure ,” he said. “But I started to enjoy the whole situation and the whole challenge and for me, it was was a nice experience for the project to be abroad in a different situation than Japan.”

Serpentine Pavilion movie

The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion opened in June and will remain in place until 20 October. Dezeen also filmed an interview with Sou Fujimoto at the opening, when he told us he was “fascinated by such a beautiful contrast [between] the really sharp, artificial white grids and the organic, formless experience”.

Serpentine Pavilion movie

See all our stories about Serpentine Gallery pavilions »
See more architecture by Sou Fujimoto »

Serpentine Pavilion movie

Photography is by Jim Stephenson.

The post “I tried to create something melting
into the green”- Sou Fujimoto
appeared first on Dezeen.

Photos of Sou Fujimoto’s Serpentine Gallery Pavilion

Here’s a full set of images from this year’s Serpentine Gallery Pavilion by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto (+ slideshow).

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

Unveiled this morning, Sou Fujimoto‘s design features a cloud-shaped grid of steel poles with varying density.

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

The sticks part to form two doorways and visitors can climb up onto transparent ledges within the structure.

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

They can also sit at cafe tables and chairs underneath, sheltered from above by a layer of transparent plastic discs.

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

The pavilion will open to the public from Saturday and remain in front of the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens until 20 October 2013.

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

Dezeen published the first photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 from the press preview this morning, where Fujimoto explained how he wanted to “create a nice mixture of nature and architecture,” adding “that has been the great interest for me these last ten years.”

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

See more architecture by Sou Fujimoto on Dezeen, including a house that looks like scaffolding and a library with shelves on the outside.

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

The annual unpaid Serpentine Gallery Pavilion commission is one of the highlights in world architecture and goes to a high-profile architect who has not yet built in the UK. At 41, Fujimoto is the youngest to have accepted the invitation.

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

Past commissions include Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei, Peter Zumthor, Jean Nouvel, SANAA and Frank Gehry.

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

See our handy guide to all the Serpentine Gallery Pavilions »
Watch our interviews with Herzog & de Meuron at last year’s opening »
Watch our interview with Peter Zumthor in 2011 »

Photos of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2013 by Sou Fujimoto

Photographs are by Jim Stephenson.

The post Photos of Sou Fujimoto’s
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion
appeared first on Dezeen.