61 tonnes of slate define the 2019 Serpentine Pavilion in London. Junya Ishigami describes it as “a hill made out of rocks”.
The Serpentine Galleries have opened Junya Ishigami’s Serpentine Pavilion 2019 – a canopy of Cumbrian slate that appears to emerge from the lawn in Kensington Gardens.

Photography © Norbert Tukaj
The slate tiles have been arranged to create a water-resisting surface with a varying texture. They sit atop an orthogonal mesh of steel, which spans between a ‘forest’ of 106 pin-ended columns arranged on a random grid.

Photography © Norbert Tukaj
At its maximum height, the canopy sits 4.6 metres above ground level. Ishigami imagined the space beneath the canopy as a cave-like refuge space for contemplation.

Photography © Iwan Baan
Says Ishigami, “My design for the Pavilion plays with our perspectives of the built environment against the backdrop of a natural landscape, emphasising a natural and organic feel as though it had grown out of the lawn, resembling a hill made out of rocks.”

Photography © Norbert Tukaj
He adds: “A stone creates a landscape, and a landscape usually sits outside of a building. I wanted to create the landscape inside the building, as a theory of the landscape that the stone creates outside. In that sense, I tried to create this landscape that exists outside, inside the building itself.”

Photography © Iwan Baan
The Serpentine Pavilion 2019, designed by Junya Ishigami for Serpentine Gallery, London, will close on 6 October 2019.
INDESIGN is on instagram
Follow @indesignlive
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
For Aidan Mawhinney, the secret ingredient to Living Edge’s success “comes down to people, product and place.” As the brand celebrates a significant 25-year milestone, it’s that commitment to authentic, sustainable design – and the people behind it all – that continues to anchor its legacy.
A longstanding partnership turns a historic city into a hub for emerging talent
The new range features slabs with warm, earthy palettes that lend a sense of organic luxury to every space.
London-based design duo Raw Edges have joined forces with Established & Sons and Tongue & Groove to introduce Wall to Wall – a hand-stained, “living collection” that transforms parquet flooring into a canvas of colour, pattern, and possibility.
In this comment piece, COX Principal David Holm reflects on Carlo Ratti’s curatorship in which climate, colonisation and gender equity took centre stage at the Venice Biennale.
As French-Lebanese Architect Lina Ghotmeh prepares for lectures in Melbourne and Sydney, we hear about the philosophy shaping her internationally celebrated practice.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Grounded by the rich warmth of American white oak, The Standard’s newly opened restaurant, Kaya, redefines the classic dining convention through a tasteful fusion of biophilic design, mid-century modern sensibility and elevated whimsy.
A retrospective at Canberra Museum + Gallery honours Enrico Taglietti, shaping the exhibition through his own design principles.
The New York headquarters of haircare brand, Amika, has been designed by Civilian as the antithesis of a standard business hub.
The final day of CPD Live’s 2025 season delivers three must-attend sessions exploring circular design for furniture and fitouts, and the science behind safe, high-quality drinking water. Starting from 9 AM AEDT, 16th October – it’s your last opportunity this year to join our Live CPD sessions and finish 2025 inspired.