David Chipperfield and Antony Gormley designed a pavilion-sculpture

Photo: Gerry Johansson

Architect David Chipperfield and sculptor Antony Gormley designed this year’s pavilion for Kivik Art Centre in southeastern Sweden. The pavilion, which was built in just two months, is essentially a solid concrete sculpture. It contains three volumes of 100 m³ - the "cave," the "stage," and the "tower" - which are also three ways to view the nature and landscape surrounding Kivik.

The "cave" is an empty space at the base of the sculpture, where visitors can rest on a bench suspended on the wall. The space evokes feelings as if one is surrounded by a deep forest. From there, one can ascend the staircase to the first floor - the "stage" - a horizontal space open to the landscape, where one can observe while also being observed. The third volume - the "tower" - allows ascent via a spiral staircase to a platform 18 m above the ground, from which one can see through the trees to the Baltic Sea.
The pavilion was opened on Saturday, July 19, and will be open to the public until September 28, 2008.

The goal of the Kivik Pavilions project is to combine architecture with art and design. The pavilion designs should draw inspiration from nature, offer a connection between the landscape and the pavilion, utilize local materials, and involve the local industry in the realization. Last year's pavilion was designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta in collaboration with photographer Tom Sandberg.