Taylor Woodrow is to tackle the construction of Frank Gehry鈥檚 design for the Serpentine Pavilion in London鈥檚 Hyde Park

Taylor Woodrow, the 拢644m-turnover construction arm of housebuilding giant Taylor Wimpey, has won the contract to build the complex timber structure on a 12-week programme, starting immediately, with Savant as project manager.

The project will be the first building designed by US architect Gehry to be built in England.

The temporary pavilion, designed in collaboration with Arup, will serve as both a public space and performance arena. It will contain glass canopies to protect the interior and provide shade, with terraced seating inside and five elevated seating pods around the perimeter.

Tim Peach, managing director of Taylor Woodrow, said: 鈥淲e are delighted to be working alongside some of the world鈥檚 most talented teams to bring Gehry鈥檚 visionary scheme into reality. As an example of art meeting engineering, it tests the boundaries of traditional thinking.鈥

As art meeting engineering, it tests the boundaries of
traditional thinking

Tim Peach, Taylor Woodrow

Gehry said the pavilion鈥檚 wooden structure acted as an 鈥渦rban street running from the park to the existing gallery鈥. He added: 鈥淭he pavilion is much like an amphitheatre, designed to serve as a place for live events, music, performance, discussion and debate.鈥

The project is the ninth scheme in an annual series to be built in Hyde Park. Last year鈥檚 summer pavilion was designed by Olafur Eliasson and Kjetil Thorsen, with previous structures designed by architects including Rem Koolhaas and Cecil Balmond (2006), Daniel Libeskind (2001), and Zaha Hadid (2000).

Gehry鈥檚 pavilion will be completed in mid-July.