selgascano's 2015 serpentine pavilion re-opens in los angeles

the 2015 serpentine pavilion, originally constructed in london’s kensington gardens, has traveled to the united states where it has been rebuilt at LA’s la brea tar pits. designed by spanish architecture studio selgascano, the temporary pavilion is an an immersive, chrysalis-like structure covered in a translucent, multi-colored fabric membrane — allowing the public to experience architecture through shape, light, transparency, and materials.

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

the pavilion’s relocation is the collaborative effort of second home, the london-based creative workspace and cultural venue, and the natural history museums of los angeles county (NHMLAC). referred to as the ‘second home serpentine pavilion’, the venue offers free public until november 24, 2019, before second home’s first US location, ‘second home hollywood,’ opens this summer.

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

located at la brea tar pits — the only active urban ice age excavation site in the world — the venue offers the public a flexible, multi-purpose social space in which to enjoy public programs and events focusing on the intersection of art, design, science, and nature. during the pavilion’s five month stay, second home and NHMLAC will partner on a diverse program of public talks, film screenings, and other events — all free and open to the public.

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

the 866-square-foot pavilion, has been set on the grassy ellipse in the park adjacent to the site’s museum. visitors are able to enter and exit the pavilion at a number of different points, passing through a ‘secret corridor’ between the outer and inner layers of the structure and into the pavilion’s bright stained-glass-effect interior, allowing for different and surprising journeys through the space before reaching the interior’s airy center.

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

later in the year, second home will also be launching their first US workspace location in los angeles, also designed by selgascano, transforming the anne banning community house in east hollywood into a 90,000-square-foot urban campus. the venue will be home to 250 diverse organizations and teams — surrounded by over 6,500 trees and plants, and will also feature a branch of second home’s bookshop libreria, a 200-person auditorium, post-production facilities, a restaurant, outdoor roof terraces and meeting and event spaces. read more about the project on designboom here.

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

image by iwan baan, courtesy of second home

project info:

name: second home serpentine pavilion
architect: selgascano
address: la brea tar pits, 5801 wilshire boulevard, los angeles, CA
date: june 28 – november 24, 2019
hours: 6:00am – 10:00pm
admission: free and open to the public