Lina Ghotmeh's Serpentine Pavilion À Table Opens in London

The Serpentine Pavilion 2023, designed by French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh (Beirut, 1980), has opened in Hyde Park, London. Titled "À Table," the temporary structure is built around a large dark oak communal table visible between tall slender columns. The pavilion is constructed from glued laminated timber (glulam) and birch plywood, emphasizing sustainability with lower carbon content and ease of disassembly for reuse. Ghotmeh draws on the pre-Islamic nomadic "majlis" tradition—a gathering place for discussion and hospitality—as well as references including Mary Poppins' umbrella (central oculus), Stonehenge (circular plan), Dogon toguna structures (low roof), and a palm leaf vein (central beam). The design features a slightly scalloped plan to soften pure circularity, an origami-like folded plywood roof, and a wall of openable screens with organic motifs echoing the park's dappled light. The pavilion sits below the surrounding trees and adjacent gallery, offering a private view of the park. It returns to the Serpentine Gallery's original function as a 1934 tea house with outdoor tables. Ghotmeh's approach, termed "Archaeology of the future," invites collective remembrance through a delicate wonder. The Serpentine Pavilion tradition began in 2000 with Zaha Hadid.