LANZA atelier Announced as Designer of the 2026 Serpentine Pavilion
The Serpentine Galleries has selected LANZA atelier to design the 2026 Serpentine Pavilion, marking the 25th edition of the annual commission. Founded by Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo, the Mexico City–based studio will unveil the Pavilion, titled a serpentine, at Serpentine South on 6 June 2026.
The announcement was made as part of the Pavilion’s anniversary program, which includes a collaboration with the Zaha Hadid Foundation to highlight Hadid’s influence as the inaugural Pavilion architect in 2000.
About LANZA atelier
Founded in 2015, LANZA atelier works at the intersection of architecture, craft, and spatial experimentation. The studio focuses on material intelligence, construction methods, and collective experience. Their projects range from residential and public buildings to furniture-scale designs.
LANZA atelier emphasizes hands-on design processes, including drawing and model-making, to explore spatial and material solutions. Their approach reflects an engagement with everyday conditions and informal practices, making their designs both innovative and context-sensitive.
For more on LANZA atelier’s past projects, see their archive.
Design Concept: A Serpentine
The Pavilion’s design revolves around the serpentine or crinkle wall, inspired by traditional English gardens. This one-brick-wide structure alternates curves for lateral stability and material efficiency, referencing historic construction methods.
The layout features curved brick walls that guide movement and rhythm within the garden. These walls create a balance between openness and enclosure, framing moments for pause, orientation, and social interaction.
LANZA atelier’s design draws a connection between the Pavilion’s geometry and the nearby Serpentine Lake, establishing a conceptual dialogue with the landscape.
Materials and Spatial Strategy
Brick was chosen as the primary building material, complementing Serpentine South Gallery’s historic façade. The structure uses a rhythmic repetition of brick columns that transition from opaque to permeable, allowing natural light and ventilation.
A translucent roof rests lightly on these columns, creating an airy spatial effect reminiscent of a tree grove. The Pavilion’s northern position within the site engages the existing tree canopy while softening the boundary between enclosure and open space.
Recognition and Publications
The selection committee included Bettina Korek, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Julie Burnell, Chris Bayley, Tamsin Hong, and Liz Stumpf, with Sou Fujimoto as an advisor.
To accompany the Pavilion, Serpentine will publish LANZA atelier’s first monograph, designed by Estudio Herrera. The publication will feature essays, contributions from architecture and art professionals, and a conversation with Hans Ulrich Obrist.
LANZA atelier has previously received awards such as the Architectural League of New York’s Emerging Voices Award (2023) and the Young Architects Prize (2017). LANZA atelier has exhibited their work at international events, including SFMOMA, the São Paulo Architecture Biennale, the Lisbon Triennale, and the Latin American Architecture Biennial.
Upcoming Projects
The studio will present a solo exhibition of furniture designs in Mexico City and is also tasked with designing the Republic of Kosovo Pavilion at the 61st Venice Art Biennale, curated by José Esparza Chong Cuy.
The 2026 Pavilion continues the Serpentine Galleries’ tradition of supporting experimental architectural design and providing a platform for innovative spatial exploration.
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
Patterns of procurement and funding cycles consistently shape spatial outcomes. Short-term budget approvals and tightly phased CAPEX controls force institutions to compress construction timelines, increase labor specialization, and favor prefabricated elements.Simultaneously, regulatory frameworks emphasizing safety, liability, and insurance create repetition in core structural typologies, regardless of locale. Cultural anxieties around status, privacy, and risk avoidance amplify defensiveness in circulation and enclosure decisions. Technical tools, including digital visualization and BIM software, further constrain experimentation by optimizing for predictable sequences and constructability. The logical architectural outcome of these factors is a configuration of repeated spatial modules with controlled access, predictable façades, and rhythmic massing, which balances institutional risk and economic efficiency while embedding societal priorities in the built form.
