As I was on the subject of this years Serpentine Pavilion I thought it may be interesting to talk about Peter Zumthor's 2011 design. Not only because his work continuously fascinates and inspires me but I realised that I didn't mention it at all this time last year as I was right in the middle of finishing my project.
This space unlike Al Weiwei's design was rectangular from outside as you approached it what confronted you was a simple austere black box, which you entered through a door taking you around the edge of the pavilion through darkened passageways. At this stage there was no way you could know what you were going to be confronted with.
In some respects there are some similar elements between the two spaces. The darkness and the framed views. In Peter Zumthors space the framed view was the skyline with a clean cut in the centre of the roof allowing natural light to flood into the planted garden below.
Around the edge of the garden was seating which felt fairly formal and structured. Unlike this years pavilion where visitors can be much more mobile in and around the space. The sensation of being embedded within the ground was simply an illusion due the angles of the roof. It's interesting how these sensations can be created as it makes you question your environment and how you feel during the time spent there.
The saturation and darkness within the passageways before you entered the central core felt quite disorientating. The small dim lights didn't really help with navigation so it became very much about using your senses which Peter Zumthor always manages to achieve with success.
For anyone interested in Peter Zumthor's thinking 'Atmospheres' is a great book!
This space unlike Al Weiwei's design was rectangular from outside as you approached it what confronted you was a simple austere black box, which you entered through a door taking you around the edge of the pavilion through darkened passageways. At this stage there was no way you could know what you were going to be confronted with.
In some respects there are some similar elements between the two spaces. The darkness and the framed views. In Peter Zumthors space the framed view was the skyline with a clean cut in the centre of the roof allowing natural light to flood into the planted garden below.
Around the edge of the garden was seating which felt fairly formal and structured. Unlike this years pavilion where visitors can be much more mobile in and around the space. The sensation of being embedded within the ground was simply an illusion due the angles of the roof. It's interesting how these sensations can be created as it makes you question your environment and how you feel during the time spent there.
The saturation and darkness within the passageways before you entered the central core felt quite disorientating. The small dim lights didn't really help with navigation so it became very much about using your senses which Peter Zumthor always manages to achieve with success.
For anyone interested in Peter Zumthor's thinking 'Atmospheres' is a great book!