LONDON.- Serpentine and the LEGO Group announced the Play Pavilion, a new vibrant, interactive play commission situated alongside Serpentine South in London’s Kensington Gardens. The public art project is designed by British architect Peter Cook and will showcase the power of play, with an unveiling on World Play Day on 11th June.
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Incorporating LEGO® Bricks into the design, the Play Pavilion will be an immersive environment where visitors can explore the creative power of play in three dimensions. By partnering with the LEGO Group, the Play Pavilion will extend a shared mission of building connections around play, beyond Serpentine’s gallery walls and into the park itself.
The Play Pavilion continues a new series of programmes presented by Serpentine welcoming families, younger audiences and teenagers, that is centred on the idea of engaging with activities for enjoyment and recreation. In 2022, Serpentine, The London Lions Basketball Club, and artist Alvaro Barrington partnered with CONSUL, Tower Hamlets Council and Weavers Adventure Playground in Bethnal Green to create a unique basketball court, enriching the local community and beyond. These new initiatives will bring together artists, designers, architects, and creatives to champion the spirit of play and community.
Sir Peter Cook has been a pivotal figure within architecture for over half a century. As a founding member of the visionary group Archigram in the early 1960s, Cook helped to establish new radical possibilities for architecture. Whilst gaining significant attention for Archigram’s unrealised projects, including the conceptual Plug-In City (1963–66) that continues to challenge the intersection of architecture, technology and society, Cook’s built works include Kunsthaus Graz in Austria (completed in 2003 with Colin Fournier) and Drawing Studio (2016) and Innovation Studio (2021) for the Arts University Bournemouth. His work has been the subject of numerous publications and exhibitions and in 2002, they were recognised by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and awarded the highest award, the Royal Gold Medal.
Peter Cook, architect, said: “Play transcends survival, achievement, and common sense. It encourages, or at least permits us, to explore and idly delight in a territory between the wayward and speculative towards unashamed amusement. The Play Pavilion, created in partnership with Serpentine and the LEGO Group, is a piece of theatre. From a distance, intriguing shapes rise from within the structure, although partly obscured. Activities inside can be viewed through pierced and scooped walls, as if teasing ‘come closer, there’s more’. A child might pop out on a slide, another may crawl through a hole on the ground, mystifying conventional entrance routes. Another mouth-shaped opening reveals an orator, performer or singer entertaining eavesdroppers beyond.”
Bettina Korek, Chief Executive, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director, said: “We are thrilled to be collaborating with the LEGO Group, The Royal Parks, and CONSUL to realise the vision for play we all share with Peter Cook and to enter a new and exciting phase of a community-focused programme. By partnering with the LEGO Group, we are looking forward to bringing their vibrant sense of playfulness and creativity to Serpentine audiences. Zaha Hadid long envisioned a collaboration between Serpentine and Peter Cook, whose radical design philosophy perfectly aligns with her belief that ‘there should be no end to experimentation’. Now, that vision is becoming a reality, and we are all grateful to Peter for accepting the invitation. Hadid’s legacy will be fittingly honoured through this project, which reflects her pioneering spirit and relentless pursuit of innovation.”
Julia Goldin, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at the LEGO Group, said: “As we look to World Play Day, we are thrilled to partner with Serpentine and Peter Cook to bring the joy of play to London's iconic Kensington Gardens. Play is not just a source of joy; it fosters connection and encourages exploration. We're looking forward to inviting everyone to experience the magic of play in a whole new way."
Sami Janjer, Director at CONSUL, said: “The Play Pavilion is a testament to the power of collaboration bound by artistic integrity and creative intelligence and I'm thrilled that it will come to life as a result of the partnership between the LEGO Group, Serpentine and Sir Peter Cook. This project represents the culture-shaping possibilities when institutions, brands and artists come together with a shared ambition. Play as a creative practice is an essential value we all stand for and the Play Pavilion is a testament to this ethos at scale.”
The Play Pavilion will become a platform for live activations throughout the summer.
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