Challenge

The Serpentine Sackler Gallery is an extension of the Grade II listed Serpentine Gallery building in Hyde Park, London. 

The existing building was renovated, and connectsto the new gallery by a café and event space, characterised by a lightweight undulating roof.

The refurbishment was to enable an important listed building, in a highly sensitive landscape setting, to be brought into public use, and would enhance the Westminster area’s role as a cultural destination.

Important to the project was the opportunity to re-establish a more formal landscape setting. Undulating landscape areas were designed by landscape architects Gross Max which echo the curved architecture of the gallery extension.

Solution

To realise the landscape vision for this refurbishment project, Kinley Systems worked closely with landscape architects Gross Max and subsequently the project architects, Zaha Hadid. Careful attention was paid to the required curves of the panels and their respective sizes and fixings.

Bespoke sections of steel were pre-formed off site and delivered as a kit for ease of assembly. The retaining edge was bolted down to concrete foundation pads to provide a stable and robust installation.

Kinley Systems worked closely with the contractor throughout the installation to provide technical and practical suppport.

Outcome

Kinley Systems' bespoke solution creates a flowing steel retaining wall and edging, which delineates the hard and soft landscape areas of the landscape which effectively echo the outstanding architecture of the new extention to the building.