Photography: courtesy of Sotheby'
The mushroom-like pavilion Zaha Hadid designed for the Serpentine Galleries in 2007 is looking for a new home.
Lilas was created by the late architect for the London gallery’s annual summer party after construction of its main pavilion – designed by artist Olafur Eliasson and architects Snohetta – fell behind schedule.
The 23-m long structure was sold to a private collector after the event, but is currently on display at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire as part Sotheby’s annual Beyond Limits sculpture show, after which it will be auctioned off.
‘For each of our annual Beyond Limits shows we seek to bring something new and thrilling to the experience, and the resurrection of Zaha Hadid’s seminal Lilas pavilion in such a historic location is one of the highlights this year,’ said Sotheby’s curator Simon Stock.
Lilas is the second pavilion Hadid designed for London gallery – back in 2000, she created the Serpentine’s inaugural pavilion. Her first one-off project proved so popular it spawned a yearly event, bolstered in 2016 by four pavilions which are also currently on sale.
Hadid’s toadstool-like structure, which features cantilevered parasols that interweave but don’t touch, stands 5.5m-tall and emits a purple glow at night.
Ahead of its sale, Lilas has taken up pride of place by Chatsworth House’s lake, where it is being displayed among sculptures by artists including Erwin Wurm, Joana Vasconcelos, Lynn Chadwick and Ju Ming, which are strewn throughout the estate.
And though it doesn’t have a listed price tag, The Guardian estimates it could sell for more than £500,000 when it goes under the hammer.
Beyond Limits runs from 10 September until 30 October at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire
