Serpentine announces Seoul-based Mass Studies as the designer of the 23rd Pavilion

Seoul-based Korean architect Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies have been announced as designers of the 2024 Serpentine Pavilion, with a design that will embraces tradition and innovation.

Serpentine Pavilion 2024 designed by Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies. Design render, exterior view. Photo © Mass Studies Courtesy: Serpentine.

Serpentine has revealed that the 23rd Pavilion will be designed by Seoul-based Korean architect Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies. Set to debut at Serpentine South on 5 June 2024, with ongoing support from Goldman Sachs, this marks the 10th year of their collaboration with the annual project. Since its inception in 2000 with Dame Zaha Hadid, the Pavilion has showcased the work of leading architects, becoming a platform for interdisciplinary engagement and community initiatives.

Serpentine Pavilion 2024 designed by Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies. Design render, exterior view. Photo © Mass Studies Courtesy: Serpentine

The Pavilion, named Archipelagic Void, will comprise five "islands" arranged around an open space. Mass Studies plans to create a void with adaptable structures at its periphery, intertwining with the park's ecology. This configuration will form a central circular void, reminiscent of the madang, a small courtyard found in old Korean house. Each structure surrounding the void, serving different purposes, will be envisioned as a "content machine." These include the Gallery, Auditorium, Library, Tea House, and Play Tower. Together, they create ten spaces, combining covered areas with open ones, fostering seamless integration with the park and Pavilion activities under varying natural light conditions.

Minsuk Cho, Mass Studies © Photo by Mok Jungwook.

Minsuk Cho expressed gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the Serpentine Pavilion's legacy. Serpentine's CEO Bettina Korek and Artistic Director Hans Ulrich Obrist hailed Cho's design as a modular and multifaceted concept, thanking partners for enabling its realisation. Beyond its architectural significance, the Pavilion will host Serpentine's dynamic summer programme, featuring Park Nights, ecological initiatives, and educational activations, underscoring its role as a nexus for creative exploration.

Date: 7 June – 27 October 2024. Website: serpentinegalleries.org.