Jean Nouvel

For Serpentine’s 40th anniversary, the 10th Serpentine Pavilion was designed by world-renowned French architect Jean Nouvel.

Nouvel’s design for the Serpentine Pavilion 2010 contrasted lightweight materials with dramatic metal cantilevered structures, rendered in a vivid red that, in a play of opposites, contrasted with the green of its park setting. In London, the colour reflects the iconic British images of traditional telephone boxes, postboxes and London buses. The building consisted of bold geometric forms, large retractable awnings and a sloped freestanding wall that stood 12m above the lawn.