Over the past few years, you may have noticed a subtle change in the design of the Serpentine Pavilion, an annual summer structure in Kensington. Gardens, LondonOpposite Serpentine Gallery. For one, the structures are less grandiose, more driven by a desire to connect rather than show off, and two: more and more female architects are designing them. These trends are not disconnected.
The first Serpentine Pavilion, in 2000, was designed by the late Zaha Hadid, and since then, it has become a playground for big-brand, mostly male architects: Oscar Niemeyer (2003), Frank Gehry (2008), Jean Nouvel (2010), Bjarke (2010), Bjarke (2010), part of a group of female architects. RUPE – Attributes Kari. As the #MeToo movement gained momentum in 2017, the tide changed in 2018 when Mexican architect Frida Escobedo presented her maze-like space. In the seven presentations since then (2020 was a no-show due to Covid), three have been helmed by solo women designers – Sumaya (G2023), Sumaya (2020) Marina Tabassum (2025). Their designs may have varied, ranging from modern temples to memorials and intricately perforated wooden congregation halls to steel and glass cocoons, but the intent was consistent: look outward, invite, and create space to promote understanding.
Designed by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo of Lanza Atelier in Mexico city-based collaborative practice that emphasizes design through hand and craftsmanship in architectural context and scale, the 2026 Serpentine Pavilion dials that purpose in with a sense of playfulness that makes the space accessible to a wider audience. Finally, it is a ribbon made of bright orange bricks inspired by the serpent. At first glance this idea seems very on the nose, but the design is far from frivolous.
