The international cultural landscape is bracing for a vibrant season of architecture, design, and historic retrospectives as institutions around the globe unveil their upcoming programming. From centuries-old English country houses engaging with contemporary designers to major retrospective surveys of foundational modernists and groundbreaking contemporary voices, the design world offers a rich array of exhibitions, forums, and competitions for the upcoming months.
At the historic Chatsworth estate in Derbyshire, England, a dialogue between past and present is currently taking place across the house and gardens. Built in the late 16th century, the stately home of Chatsworth has been home to 16 generations of the Devonshire family, as well as to an expanding and diverse art collection that includes Greco-Roman art and sculpture, masterpieces by Rembrandt and Reynolds, and works by modern artists including Lucian Freud and David Nash. Expanding on this storied heritage, a new exhibition features works from 16 contemporary artists and designers created in direct relationship with the house’s architecture, interiors, furniture, and materials, inviting visitors to experience the historic landmark through a contemporary lens.
Major Museum Surveys and Ongoing Exhibitions
In Boston, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston is presenting the first comprehensive survey exhibition dedicated to the work of New York-based artist and sculptor Simone Leigh. Spanning two decades of artistic production, the landmark exhibition showcases sculpture, ceramics, video, and large-scale installation work. Notably, the presentation includes works from Leigh’s acclaimed 2022 Venice Biennale presentation, where she represented the United States, marking their first time being shown stateside.
Across the Atlantic in Zurich, the Museum of Design Zurich recently honored the legacy of the influential Swiss designer Willy Guhl with the exhibition Willy Guhl – Thinking with Your Hands. Best known for his iconic "Loop Chair"—an innovative and enduring furniture piece molded from a cement-asbestos mixture known as Eternit—Guhl studied at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich before establishing himself as a central figure in the mid-20th-century European neo-functional design movement.
Urban planning and housing futures take center stage in Prague through an exhibition presented by the Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning. Titled Prague Tomorrow? Houses and Apartments, the comprehensive showcase explores the current state of housing in the Czech capital and presents potential pathways for success through progressive policy reform and thoughtful design interventions. The exhibition’s core findings are grounded in the official Housing Development Strategy for the city of Prague, which was formally approved by the city council.
In New York, the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum is hosting Deconstructing Power: W.E.B. Du Bois at the 1900 World’s Fair. The exhibition revisits the historic American Negro Exhibit organized for the 1900 Paris World’s Fair, where W.E.B. Du Bois and his students at Atlanta University created a groundbreaking series of data visualizations detailing the social and economic status of African Americans since emancipation. By bringing Du Bois’s long-overlooked contributions into dialogue with the broader international exposition, the exhibition highlights critical disparities in the historical record and challenges traditional narratives of the World’s Fair as an unblemished spectacle of Western progress.
London’s Design Museum is currently celebrating the vibrant creative output of British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori through the exhibition Parables for Happiness. Known internationally for his colorful public art installations, Ilori is the subject of a major showcase featuring 100 works ranging from original artworks, photographs, and custom furniture to textiles, books, and personal possessions. The exhibition offers a deep dive into the influences of his North London upbringing and his rich Nigerian heritage on his multidisciplinary design practice.
The Museum of Modern Art in New York has launched a significant new exhibition series titled Architecture Now: New York, New Publics, designed to highlight the work of emerging architects driving innovation in the field. The inaugural exhibition focuses on 12 recently completed projects across the five boroughs, featuring contributions from prominent practices such as Adjaye Associates, nArchitects, SO – IL, and design firms recognized in architectural circles for their forward-thinking urban interventions. Each featured architectural project is accompanied by a newly commissioned video produced specifically for the exhibition by Brooklyn-based filmmaker Hudson Lines.
Meanwhile, the Center for Architecture in New York has been showcasing the results of AIA New York’s New Practices New York competition. The exhibition highlights six innovative local architecture and design practices that have demonstrated deep engagement with the city and its civic fabric: BRANDT: HAFERD, Bryony Roberts Studio, City-group, GRT Architects, New Affiliates, and ANY.
Industry Events and Conferences
The cultural and professional calendar also features prominent gatherings, starting with Palm Springs Modernism Week in California. As an annual celebration of modernist design and architecture, the multi-day festival encompasses more than 350 events spread across various architectural landmarks throughout Palm Springs, ranging from exclusive home and garden tours to independent film screenings and academic lectures. The keynote presentation for the gathering is delivered by Morphosis principal Thom Mayne.
In Orlando, Florida, the industry prepares for Coverings, the largest international tile and stone exhibition and conference in the United States. The expansive event brings together approximately 800 exhibitors representing over 30 countries, offering industry professionals a comprehensive look at cutting-edge material developments alongside targeted educational sessions and networking opportunities.
Sustainability and decarbonization remain paramount on the professional agenda, underscored by the upcoming Getting to Zero forum in Minneapolis. Held in a hybrid format, the conference gathers over 500 leading policymakers, architects, and industry experts to collaborate on zero-energy and zero-carbon solutions aimed at aggressively decarbonizing the built environment.
In Spain, the Logroño-based architecture and design festival Concéntrico 09 marks its ninth consecutive edition. Over the course of six days, the festival transforms the urban fabric of Logroño through a dynamic roster of public installations, exhibitions, and events that invite the public to rethink and celebrate the urban realm and civic life.
Competitions and Professional Deadlines
Several major awards and competitions have announced upcoming submission deadlines for practitioners and students. The Copper Development Association is currently accepting entries for the North American Copper in Architecture Awards, which recognize outstanding applications of architectural copper and copper alloys in projects completed within the past three years across the United States and Canada.
The AIA St. Louis chapter has opened submissions for its annual National Photography Competition, inviting licensed architects and currently enrolled architecture students to submit photographic interpretations of the built environment. Winning photographs are slated for publication and exhibition during the national AIA conference.
Additionally, the Holcim Foundation has set the deadline for the global Holcim Awards 2023, which honors projects seamlessly integrating sustainable design and construction with architectural excellence. Evaluated against rigorous sustainability standards, winning projects compete across five geographic regions—Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and the Asia Pacific—with regional winners advancing to a prominent announcement at the Venice Biennale of Architecture.
