tracing the 2024 serpentine pavilion’s evening glow through the lens of danica o. kus

at dusk, the temporary architecture presents itself under a completely new atmosphere, engulfed in warm lighting.

lea zeitoun July 8, 2024 3 min

danica o. kus captures the 2024 serpentine pavilion

The 23rd Serpentine Pavilion takes center stage in Danica O. Kus‘ latest photographic series. Designed by Seoul-based architect Minsuk Cho and his firm Mass Studies, this year’s pavilion, titled Archipelagic Void, comprises five’ islands,’ each unique in size, form, name, and purpose, providing a multifaceted platform for the live program from June onwards. ‘The Pavilion is not a traditional folly in British French garden culture. It is something you create that doesn’t exist in this world. It’s kind of utopian, bringing over new ways of technology,‘ Cho told designboom in a recent interview. A unique void opens up at the center of the timber design, surrounded by a series of smaller, adaptable structures at its periphery. The layout references the madang, or open courtyard, found in traditional Korean houses. Around the void, each structure becomes a distinct ‘content machine’: the Gallery, the Library, the Auditorium, the Tea House, and the Play Tower. Together, they create ten spaces — five covered and five open spaces — that integrate with the surrounding park and Pavilion activities.

danica o. kus serpentine pavilion designboom — all images © Danica O. Kus

mass studies’ design reveals a new atmosphere at dusk

In this photographic series, Danica O. Kus (see more here) documents the 2024 Serpentine Pavilion’s star-like morphology at dusk, presenting the temporary architecture under a completely new atmosphere. ‘This year, I was especially excited when photographing the Pavilion late when the daylight faded, and lights began to illuminate,’ the photographer notes. From the central oculus to the individual ‘islands’, the following images depict a stark transformation when transitioning from day to night, revealing a different character for the Archipelagic Void designed by Mass Studies (more here). When daylight begins to fade, the dark, steel curves become outlined in a series of warm, colored lighting engulfing each content machine. ‘I aimed to capture this transitional moment, evoking a sense of tranquillity and mystery,’ Danica O. Kus concludes.