This summer in London, a new building is catching people’s eyes: Serpentine Pavilion 2026, called a serpentine. It was designed by LANZA atelier, a Mexico City studio founded by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo. The pavilion opened to the public at Serpentine South on June 6, 2026, and visitors can see it free until October 25, 2026. This year is special because it is the 25th Serpentine Pavilion, a yearly architecture project that began in 2000. (serpentinegalleries.org)
The most striking part is its curved brick wall. The design is based on a traditional English “serpentine,” or “crinkle-crankle,” wall. This kind of wall becomes strong through its curves and can use fewer bricks than a straight wall. The pavilion’s south wall gives the project its name and also points to the nearby Serpentine Lake. On the north side, the wall bends around the trees, while a translucent roof lets in light and air. Brick columns hold up the roof and make the space feel partly closed and partly open. (serpentinegalleries.org)
Brick was chosen to connect the pavilion with the English garden tradition and with the brick front of the Serpentine South Gallery, which was first built as a tea pavilion. The walls are made from repeated brick columns, so some parts feel solid and others feel see-through. Engineers also designed the structure to be fully demountable, so it can be taken apart and rebuilt later. To reduce waste, they used a steel frame and prestressing instead of a normal fully bonded brick wall. (serpentinegalleries.org)
What makes this pavilion interesting is that it feels both old and new. Its shape comes from a long architectural tradition, but its structure uses modern engineering. If you visit London before October 25, 2026, this “bending wall” is more than something to look at. It is a place to walk through, notice the light, and enjoy how architecture can change a garden space. (serpentinegalleries.org)










