Image: Herzog and de Meuron/Ai Weiwei's vision

Serpentine Gallery – the contemporary art attraction in London, UK – has unveiled designs for this year's Pavilion commission, which is being sponsored by international spa company ESPA.

ESPA revealed in March it was sponsoring the scheme – designed by Ai Weiwei and Herzog and de Meuron – in the first of its 2012 cultural partnerships.

Visitors will have the opportunity to walk beneath the Serpentine's lawn in order to examine the "hidden history" of former pavilions, with eleven columns representing each structure.

A 12th column will support a floating platform roof 1.4m (4.6ft) above the ground, with the pavilion to operate as a public space and a venue for the gallery's Park Nights programme.

ESPA founder and CEO Susan Harmsworth said in March the company's sponsorship was part of a programme of collaborations with British cultural institutions, artists and luminaries.

Harmsworth said: "Our British heritage is extremely important to us and to be able to support British arts and culture, in particular the creativity and innovation of the Pavilion, is important to ESPA as it reflects our core values."

Details: www.serpentinegallery.org

Image: (c) 2012, by Herzog and de Meuron and Ai Weiwei

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