Travel: London's Serpentine Pavilion

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you're lucky enough to be travelling to London before October 16 (or if you're living there), we highly recommend you visit this year's Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, by the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">From the outside, as you can see in the image below, it's an inscrutable black timber box. We haven't been able to work out what the timber is coated in, but it had a thick, hand-applied quality that lent an artisanal feel to the structure's exterior. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFWre0DbKT8nJD0oJ98shyphenhyphenrVZ__lkksJ2bW98_g3dkpirckYCg4SyWcNpjWPdCyFWFlVBoFXAgbdYBIyOs-KArby-ciiWp07C90j21KG7z8tCHNs2Jjx43NOrAQetaY33lZrGZHxDB1yp/s1600/IMG_0729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFWre0DbKT8nJD0oJ98shyphenhyphenrVZ__lkksJ2bW98_g3dkpirckYCg4SyWcNpjWPdCyFWFlVBoFXAgbdYBIyOs-KArby-ciiWp07C90j21KG7z8tCHNs2Jjx43NOrAQetaY33lZrGZHxDB1yp/s400/IMG_0729.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There are three door-sized holes in the pavilion's exterior. Visitors can pass through any of them (entry is free). You then arrive in a dark, narrow corridor leading to other openings. </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VLkDuqYzbd1NHxsrks-OwCpldh_5R2UGTv1hjRdRigUm5jpPfCrPbJcbNg5slAcjtEAqmNy61olrVJCtifi7w6bJkG1XD_q8y5DIPFxEzQJXrek0V6Bbf2gel6bWlKjNB0Rk93LjmH0N/s1600/IMG_0735J.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5VLkDuqYzbd1NHxsrks-OwCpldh_5R2UGTv1hjRdRigUm5jpPfCrPbJcbNg5slAcjtEAqmNy61olrVJCtifi7w6bJkG1XD_q8y5DIPFxEzQJXrek0V6Bbf2gel6bWlKjNB0Rk93LjmH0N/s400/IMG_0735J.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Once you've passed through these secondary doorways, you'll find the small miracle of a courtyard garden with planting designed by Piet Oudolf, the Dutchman who also had a hand in the planting on New York's High Line (along with a lifetime of fascinating projects (which you can read about <a href="http://www.oudolf.com/piet-oudolf">here</a></span>).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6HgzvY5ul9RyzWxQDv5gf8lTBVIcszv6J94xuJovRVS8VSfB3VDmYdxmINBnhkSTWQDxEnlSPVoMU6TYGYO6_lmmZunMit5GkoJmDW4MKDjW5_0YECibY9xis6mdXVcegb3pGehXhUkh/s1600/IMG_0735C.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6HgzvY5ul9RyzWxQDv5gf8lTBVIcszv6J94xuJovRVS8VSfB3VDmYdxmINBnhkSTWQDxEnlSPVoMU6TYGYO6_lmmZunMit5GkoJmDW4MKDjW5_0YECibY9xis6mdXVcegb3pGehXhUkh/s400/IMG_0735C.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Zumthor's black walls throw Oudolf's pretty planting into sharp relief. It's a deeply contemplative space, surrounded by benches and tables and chairs with a view of the garden and the slice of sky above. On the way there, we'd wondered about the wisdom of Zumthor designing a garden space in the middle of Kensington Gardens, the enormous green space where the pavilion is located. But the courtyard garden works beautifully as a contrast to the open spaces outside, enhancing the appreciation of nature by confining it to this small space. </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZcKXJN9bdYSb74eTyzQlcPfL9oNh1QoMRblbLSYWb19_kv0nYapOUC2_5k7iwWUe3Jo5gj0M7zoPWYxZSq8egGHLp_mz-hkc486XoAql6E-A_tx5sMHpDVDuHR_v3KY41lTCu9hLVmBw/s1600/IMG_0732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnZcKXJN9bdYSb74eTyzQlcPfL9oNh1QoMRblbLSYWb19_kv0nYapOUC2_5k7iwWUe3Jo5gj0M7zoPWYxZSq8egGHLp_mz-hkc486XoAql6E-A_tx5sMHpDVDuHR_v3KY41lTCu9hLVmBw/s400/IMG_0732.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The modest but magnificent simplicity of Zumthor's pavilion is apparently typical of his work (we haven't had the good fortune yet of seeing any other structures by him, but many of you will know of the Thermal Baths at Vals, which you can see more of at the link <a href="http://www.therme-vals.ch/en/">here</a>). His structures are rich in texture and materiality, but also inherently modest in their approach.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIDnSsj3V6ZAPHvVTfcQ2Gx7E7ukdjdDdZBlzyA2inQTs528LKojuA-zqgpxNZT1Pr8krimsGlcOPs44ut2aANouwFW1mchC4BYKiC-LtwtKbjg3p5b9a1DzHvFtqYuQOsaIg3ePlKJ6W/s1600/IMG_0735E.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibIDnSsj3V6ZAPHvVTfcQ2Gx7E7ukdjdDdZBlzyA2inQTs528LKojuA-zqgpxNZT1Pr8krimsGlcOPs44ut2aANouwFW1mchC4BYKiC-LtwtKbjg3p5b9a1DzHvFtqYuQOsaIg3ePlKJ6W/s400/IMG_0735E.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Each year the Serpentine Gallery commissions an architect who has not previously had a project built in the UK to design a summer pavilion in its grounds (the pavilions are auctioned off at the end of each season). Zumthor's pavilion is an interesting, self-assured contrast to the architectural fireworks of some of the projects of previous years. You can see a slideshow of previous Serpentine Gallery Pavilions on The Guardian's website at the link </span><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/gallery/2008/mar/26/architecture.art?INTCMP=SRCH#/?picture=360756235&index=0"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />

Travel: London's Serpentine Pavilion

If you're lucky enough to be travelling to London before October 16 (or if you're living there), we highly recommend you visit this ...

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From our archives: Favourite covers, winter 1939

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwUCwUA6W0CkpN1LjTFWGzThr4wIANzbvHD2GDRoNsAWe1F8u7IUuEM7rDLB0lA8kW21kZhF-0dKP_6tC-4os9G0QvGA0fnbii-AXI_kKkFbQpJniHqjwSVMonMfvwqYQ2t7T7bcc5Ftp/s1600/HOMENZ_101220_OCT-OLDISSUES_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwUCwUA6W0CkpN1LjTFWGzThr4wIANzbvHD2GDRoNsAWe1F8u7IUuEM7rDLB0lA8kW21kZhF-0dKP_6tC-4os9G0QvGA0fnbii-AXI_kKkFbQpJniHqjwSVMonMfvwqYQ2t7T7bcc5Ftp/s400/HOMENZ_101220_OCT-OLDISSUES_0040.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A favourite cover from 1939, where an elegant combination of images reflects the magazine's desire to cater to a broad audience including architects, homemakers, and gardeners (then as now, the magazine included regular features on landscape design). </span>

From our archives: Favourite covers, winter 1939

A favourite cover from 1939, where an elegant combination of images reflects the magazine's desire to cater to a broad audience includin...

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From our archives: A new series

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyQqDSNxNJmuzpHcSVp6uvq6OlvTkM20dfDDXd5EzCADt42z_rcvgLdjBKWEEMb3nxRRB6-VCsEG9ers7Z7l58SMLt8HFDBYGPINqmLbJgEGbGysyDgan7NOw31W0JCJ2EUlXdfI-gGUf/s1600/HOMENZ_101220_OCT-OLDISSUES_0003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilyQqDSNxNJmuzpHcSVp6uvq6OlvTkM20dfDDXd5EzCADt42z_rcvgLdjBKWEEMb3nxRRB6-VCsEG9ers7Z7l58SMLt8HFDBYGPINqmLbJgEGbGysyDgan7NOw31W0JCJ2EUlXdfI-gGUf/s320/HOMENZ_101220_OCT-OLDISSUES_0003.JPG" width="256" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Our next issue (published October 3) marks our 75th birthday: 75 years, that is, since Building Today magazine was first published (<em>Building Today</em> became <em>Home and Building Today</em> a few issues later, then <em>Home & Building</em>, <em>Home & Entertaining</em> in 1999, and <em>HOME</em> in 1997). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Despite all the name changes, our trawl through the archives reminded us that our mission today remains pretty much the same as it was then: to showcase New Zealand's best homes (and buildings in general, in the early days) and celebrate great New Zealand architecture. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The image above is of our first-ever cover (now stored in binders in the safe hands of the Architecture Archive at the University of Auckland). We'll be showing you a range of goodies from the archives on the blog over the next few weeks. And, of course, there's a special 75th anniversary feature in the October/November issue of the magazine, which has just gone to the printing press. </span>

From our archives: A new series

Our next issue (published October 3) marks our 75th birthday: 75 years, that is, since Building Today magazine was first published ( Buildin...

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