Serpentine Gallery Pavilions: Annual Architectural Commissions and Public Programmes
The timber-clad structure for the 2007 Pavilion resembled a spinning top and brought a dramatic vertical dimension to the traditional single-level pavilion. A wide, spiralling ramp made two complete turns, allowing visitors to ascend from the Gallery’s lawn to the highest point for views across Kensington Gardens as well as a bird’s eye view of the space below. Olafur Eliasson’s deep-rooted interest in spatial questions led to his increasing engagement with architecture and to his collaboration with Thorsen on a number of projects, including the National Opera House, Oslo. The 2007 Pavilion was an experimental next step for this fruitful creative partnership.