Image: The Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2012

The Serpentine Gallery in London, UK has opened its 2012 Pavilion - designed by Herzog and de Meuron/Ai Weiwei and sponsored by international spa group ESPA.

ESPA confirmed its sponsorship in March - the first of its cultural partnerships this year. The 2012 Pavilion also forms part of the London 2012 Festival.

The Pavilion is designed to enable visitors able to go beneath the Serpentine lawn to explore the "hidden history" of the gallery's previous 11 commissions.

A total of 11 columns represent previous structures, while the 12th supports a floating roof 1.4m (4.6ft) above the ground. Design features of the Pavilion include cork cladding.

Serpentine Gallery director Julia Peyton-Jones and co-director Hans Ulrich Obrist said: "It is a great honour to be working with Herzog and de Meuron and Ai Weiwei, the design team behind Beijing's superb Bird's Nest Stadium."

The Pavilion will remain open until 14 October.

Details: www.serpentinegallery.org

Image (c) Herzog and de Meuron and Ai Weiwei/Image (c) 2012 Iwan Baan