Serpentine Pavilion 2019
Junya Ishigami

The book accompanied the 2019 Serpentine Pavilion designed by Japanese architect Junya Ishigami, celebrated for his experimental structures that interpret traditional architectural conventions and reflect natural phenomena. For the 2019 Pavilion he built a “rocky” canopy made of Cumbrian slate that rested on slender steel columns.

The book contains more than 70 delicate black and white drawings and collages revealing Ishigami’s extensive form studies and research into nature. The dimensions for the book were based on the architect’s sketch pad. The tactile paper with its natural tint and the use of greyscale reproduction for the majority of the sections create a dialogue with Ishigami’s work. 

The cover features thick exposed greyboards cut slightly shorter. That separates them from the spine allowing them to float freely. The result is a book that looks sturdy but still reflects the lightness of the Pavilion’s structure and the natural material of the cladding.

Year: 2019
Client: Serpentine Galleries, London
Co-publisher: Koenig Books
Catalogue / Artist book, 15.4 × 17.8 cm, 272 pages
Photography: Marcel Lunkwitz