As the architecture and design community navigates an era defined by rapid technological innovation, shifting socio-political landscapes, and evolving urban environments, museums, galleries, and public spaces around the world are hosting a diverse array of exhibitions, festivals, and competitions. From explorations of early 20th-century modernist furniture to cutting-edge investigations into artificial intelligence, the metaverse, and public space equity, the latest slate of cultural programming offers a comprehensive look at the past, present, and future of the built environment.
Upcoming Exhibitions
Pamphlet Architecture 37: Visions and Experiments in Architecture
Rhinebeck, NY — September 4–October 17, 2022
Founded in 1978 by visionary architect Steven Holl, Pamphlet Architecture established itself as an influential experimental publication platform dedicated to championing the theoretical work of emerging architects. Historically, the publication served as a launching pad for notable figures who would later shape the global architectural discourse, including Zaha Hadid, Lars Lerup, and Mark Mack.
In celebration of its 37th issue and more than four decades of continuous production, ‘T’ Space Gallery is presenting an exhibition highlighting the work of the five finalists from Pamphlet Architecture’s 2021 open call. Titled "Visions and Experiments in Architecture," the call challenged applicants to conceptualize novel architectural paradigms suited for a modern social and political consciousness. In addition to showcasing the finalists’ visionary proposals, the exhibition features a comprehensive retrospective tracing the rich history of the publication. This historical overview also serves as a poignant tribute to long-time publisher Kevin Lippert, who passed away in the spring of 2022, honoring his enduring legacy in architectural publishing and discourse.
Ongoing Exhibitions
Chairs. Dieckmann!
Berlin — Through August 14, 2022
At the Kunstgewerbemuseum in Berlin, visitors have the rare opportunity to engage with the profound contributions of influential furniture designer Erich Dieckmann (1896–1944). Dieckmann taught at both the prestigious Bauhaus and the arts-and-crafts school at Burg Giebichenstein in Halle (Saale), leaving an indelible mark on 20th-century design history. Marking the first major solo exhibition dedicated to his work in over three decades, the showcase brings together historical designs, original drawings, and a remarkable collection of 120 furniture pieces drawn directly from the designer’s archives.
Meta-Horizons: The Future Now
Seoul — Through September 18, 2022
Following the high-profile unveiling of their virtual metaverse city, Liberland, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is further cementing its presence in digital realms with a major exhibition hosted at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) museum in Seoul—a landmark building designed by the firm itself in 2014. The exhibition centers on the immense potential of advanced architectural technologies, such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence-driven design methodologies, as demonstrated through ZHA’s expansive portfolio. Complementing the architectural installations are immersive digital art pieces by renowned new media artist Refik Anadol, offering visitors a glimpse into the intersection of physical design and digital futures.
Justice is Beauty: The Work of MASS Design Group
Washington, DC — Through September 30, 2022
The National Building Museum is currently hosting an extensive showcase celebrating the portfolio of MASS Design Group, highlighting their pioneering research, visionary proposals, and built projects centered on the architecture of health and social justice. The exhibition is presented alongside The Gun Violence Memorial Project, a powerful collaborative installation by artist Hank Willis Thomas developed in partnership with the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. The memorial features four translucent glass-brick structures containing personal mementos dedicated to individual lives tragically cut short by gun violence, bridging the gap between architectural exhibition and social memorialization.
Missing Link: Strategies of a Viennese Architecture Group (1970–1980)
Vienna — Through October 2, 2022
The MAK Exhibition Hall in Vienna is currently hosting the first comprehensive retrospective examining the radical work of the avant-garde architecture collective Missing Link. Founded in 1970 by Angela Hareiter, Otto Kapfinger, and Adolf Krischanitz, the group sought to investigate and critique the discipline of architecture outside the conventional constraints of academia and professional practice. Their diverse body of work encompasses everything from provocative utopian proposals for collective living arrangements to rigorous urban research studies mapping the complex infrastructural networks of Vienna.
The Garden of Privatised Delights
London — Through October 15, 2022
Originally presented to international audiences at the Venice Architecture Biennale, this exhibition was commissioned by the British Council and curated by Unscene Architecture. The showcase takes a critical look at the proliferation of privately-owned public spaces throughout the United Kingdom, issuing a timely call for innovative design approaches capable of resolving the ongoing friction between private commercial interests and the public good. To address these challenges, several prominent British architecture practices—including the Decorators, Studio Polpo, and vPPR Architects—have contributed seven distinct, inclusive reimaginings of privatized civic environments.
Black Atlantic
New York City — Through November 27, 2022
Spread across the sprawling landscape of Brooklyn Bridge Park, which historically served as a vital maritime harbor connecting the Americas to Europe and Africa, the Public Art Fund’s Black Atlantic exhibition presents powerful new site-specific installations. Curated to reflect themes from Paul Gilroy’s seminal 1993 book of the same name, the exhibition explores the profound cultural, economic, and social impacts of transatlantic networks on the African diaspora. Participating artists Hugh Hayden, Leilah Babirye, Dozie Kanu, Tau Lewis, and Kiyan Williams utilize large-scale fabrications to weave together global historical narratives with intimate personal identities.
Events
Concéntrico 08
Logroño, Spain — September 1–6, 2022
Also widely recognized as the Logroño International Festival of Architecture and Design, this annual cultural event turns its focus toward the intricacies of the urban environment and the fundamental value of shared public spaces. A series of large-scale, site-specific installations designed by winning architecture teams AAA, Ander López, and Collective X have been strategically integrated throughout the city fabric. These installations are accompanied by a dynamic roster of public exhibitions and panel discussions exploring contemporary community life, with a strong emphasis on sustainable construction materials and ecologically responsible processes.
Competitions
Miami Floating Housing
Deadline: November 9, 2022
Hosted by the University of Kent, this upcoming initiative builds directly upon the academic framework of the school’s Architecture Visualization program by addressing the critical material and social value inherent in architectural heritage. Alongside the competition, upcoming conference presentations will highlight innovative preservation projects and pioneering methodologies for adapting historic heritage sites to contemporary environmental and urban challenges.
