Source:
https://scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3015353/japanese-architect-junya-ishigami-his-london-serpentine
Lifestyle/ Arts & Culture

Japanese architect Junya Ishigami on his London Serpentine pavilion and China, a ‘good place to be working’

  • Ishigami’s summer pavilion at Britain’s Serpentine Gallery is a cloud of nebulous grey slate that appears to float – typical of his dreamlike structures
  • The 45-year-old is excited about his projects in China, including a water-themed cultural centre, a chapel rising out of a valley, and an open-air school
Junya Ishagami’s Serpentine pavilion in London. Photo: Iwan Baan

Whether he is working on a landmark project in the heart of London for hundreds of thousands of visitors, or a kindergarten in China for a few hundred children at a time, Junya Ishigami says every one of his projects needs to incorporate scenery both inside and outside the structure. He wants to create his own perception of nature.

The 45-year-old has been in the headlines after being selected to build this year’s summer pavilion at the Serpentine Gallery in London, which opened to the public on Thursday for a three-and-a-half-month run. He is also juggling numerous projects around the world, in places including Moscow, Sydney and in particular China, where he is engaged in at least four projects.