Mexican artist Gabriel Orozco has worked with 6a Architects to create a sculptural garden paved in a pattern of interconnected circles for the South London Gallery.
The community-focused gallery, located in the London area of Camberwell, was previously renovated and extended by 6a Architects in 2010.
The new back garden is intended give the gallery’s visitors space to sit, eat and play. It will also serve as an outdoor showcase for installations by various artists.
Arranged across a number of levels, the garden is widely paved in Yorkstone bricks, many salvaged from what used to be the gallery’s rear facade.
These bricks draw circles around the garden, demarcating pockets for different activities. Rather than appearing repetitive, however, the circles are each given their own character through the use of different levels, or through the addition of plantings or water butts.
Circles are a common motif in Orozco’s work, but this is the first time the Tokyo-based artist has applied them to a garden design.
His main concern in designing the garden was to integrate the space with its surrounding architecture while serving the needs of the community.
