Serpentine Gallery Pavillon

London, UK

The Cosmic Egg - A Giant Inflatable Structure

Each summer, the Serpentine Gallery commissions an internationally acclaimed architect to design a temporary Pavilion for its lawn. The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2006 was co-designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Rem Koolhaas and innovative structural designer Cecil Balmond. The centrepiece of the design is a spectacular ovoid-shaped inflatable canopy that floats above the Gallery’s lawn. Made from translucent material, the structure is illuminated from within at night. The Pavilion design incorporates a helium- and air-filled inflatable roof that can be raised and lowered to accommodate the activities within the structure. The opening of the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2006 was a great success and received quite the national and international media coverage.