hortus conclusus

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2011 Designed by Peter Zumthor© Peter Zumthor
Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2011 Designed by Peter Zumthor© Peter Zumthor
image: Walter Herfst

Piet Oudolf, who may best known here in the U.S. for his planting design for the High Line in New York, collaborated last year with Swiss architect and Pritzker laureate, Peter Zumithor on the 2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion at Kensington Gardens in London.

Oudolf’s Planting Diagram (Courtesy Piet Oudolf)
Oudolf’s Planting Diagram, Courtesy Piet Oudolf

If you are an admirer of Oudolf’s work on the High Line, you will want to investigate the teams concept of a “hortus conclusus” (a secret garden within a garden).  Molly Heintz from the Architects Newspaper sums it up well, “Although Zumthor retains top billing, his design gives Oudolf center stage”.  While the plants here differ from those used in the High Line, Oudolf said that his garden for the Serpentine has a similar “unorganized, spontaneous” effect.

Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei are creating the 2012 Pavilion which will open June 27, 2012.

One thought on “hortus conclusus

  1. Deirdre E Toner June 22, 2012 / 12:51 am

    The Planting Diagram by Oudolf is very interesting. Thanks for including this in the
    blog post! (Testing)

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