marina tabassum’s design for the 2025 serpentine pavilion

 

Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum, founder of Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA), was selected to design the 2025 Serpentine Pavilion, titled A Capsule in Time. Opening on June 6, 2025, at Serpentine South in London’s Kensington Gardens, the pavilion commemorates the 25th anniversary of the series.

 

Inspired by the ephemeral architecture of South Asia and the organic forms of garden canopies, A Capsule in Time features an elongated, north-south structure that aligns with Serpentine South’s historic bell tower. Four wooden capsules with translucent facades create dappled lighting effects, reminiscent of sunlight filtering through foliage. At its heart, a kinetic element allows one capsule to move and transform the space, offering visitors new ways to interact with the Pavilion. ‘The relationship between time and architecture is intriguing: between permanence and impermanence, of birth, age and ruin; architecture aspires to outlive time. Architecture is a tool to live behind legacies, fulfilling the inherent human desire for continuity beyond life,’ explains Marina Tabassum. ‘The Serpentine Pavilion offers a unique platform under the summer sun to unite as people rich in diversity.’

marina tabassum reveals 'a capsule in time', her design for the 2025 serpentine pavilion
all images courtesy of Marina Tabassum and Serpentine

 

 

A Capsule in Time embraces the human desire for connection

 

Marina Tabassum is internationally recognized for her climate-conscious, socially engaged practice. Her studio, MTA, has pioneered modular, mobile housing solutions such as Khudi Bari (Small House), designed to support communities vulnerable to climate change along the rivers of Bangladesh. Known for blending contemporary design with regional history and culture, Tabassum describes her Pavilion as a ‘capsule of memory and time,’ evoking the transience of architecture in the Bengal delta while embracing the universal human desire for continuity and connection.

 

‘A Capsule in Time will honour connections with the Earth and celebrate the spirit of community. Built around a mature tree at the centre of the structure, Tabassum’s design will bring the park inside the Pavilion,’ add Bettina Korek, Chief Executive, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of Serpentine. ‘This is a milestone year for the Serpentine Pavilion Commission as we celebrate 25 years since the inception of this prestigious program.’ 

marina tabassum reveals 'a capsule in time', her design for the 2025 serpentine pavilion
A Capsule in Time features an elongated structure that aligns with Serpentine South’s historic bell tower

marina tabassum reveals 'a capsule in time', her design for the 2025 serpentine pavilion
four wooden capsules with translucent facades create dappled lighting effects

marina tabassum reveals 'a capsule in time', her design for the 2025 serpentine pavilion
Marina Tabassum is internationally recognized for her climate-conscious, socially engaged practice

 

 

project info: 

 

name: A Capsule in Time
architect: Marina Tabassum, Marina Tabassum Architects (MTA) | @marinatabassum
location: Serpentine South, Kensington Gardens, London, UK

event: Serpentine Pavilion | @serpentineuk
opening date: June 6, 2025