Serpentine Summer House 2016 / Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ

Serpentine Summer House 2016 designed by Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ; Design render © NLÉ

The Serpentine Gallery has unveiled the 4 designs for the 2016 Serpentine Summer House in London designed by Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ, Barkow Leibinger, Yona Friedman, and Asif Khan. The four Summer houses will operate in parallel with the Serpentine Pavilion 2016 by BIG

Serpentine Summer House by NLÉ Technical Information

The design is based on projecting an inverse replica of Queen Caroline’s historic Temple – a tribute to its robust form, space and material, recomposed into a bold new sculptural object.

– Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ

Serpentine Summer House by NLÉ Renderings
Serpentine Summer House 2016 / Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ

Serpentine Summer House 2016 designed by Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ; Design render © NLÉ

Serpentine Summer House 2016 / Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ

Serpentine Summer House 2016 designed by Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ; Design render © NLÉ

Serpentine Summer House 2016 / Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ

Serpentine Summer House 2016 designed by Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ; Design render © NLÉ

Kunlé Adeyemi Architect’s Statment

With a play on architecture, our design aims to fulfil the simple primary purpose of a summerhouse: a space for shelter and relaxation. The design is based on projecting an inverse replica of Queen Caroline’s historic Temple – a tribute to its robust form, space and material, recomposed into a bold new sculptural object.

By rotating the Temple’s interior void space, we expose the structure’s neo-classical plan, proportions and architectural form. Using prefabricated building blocks assembled from sandstone similar to the ones used in building the Temple, our abstracted forms come together to create a room, a doorway and a window for people to interact with the building, the environment and with one another.

By locating the Temple in the proximity of the trees, we offer an extension of the space into the landscape, providing shaded areas in their canopies and in the shadows generated by the object. The carved out void, soft interior and fragmented furniture blocks create comfortable spaces for people to eat, rest or play – in and around the house – all through the summer season.

NLÉ Works
Serpentine Summer House 2016 / Kunlé Adeyemi – NLÉ

NLÉ: Makoko Floating School, Lagos, Nigeria, 2012; Image by NLÉ

  1. Team: Kunlé Adeyemi, Marco Cestarolli, Karien Hofhuis, Michele Montali, Georgina Sinclair, Berend Strijland

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