As the design and architecture world transitions into the fall season, cultural institutions, galleries, and advocacy groups around the globe are rolling out a diverse array of exhibitions, thought-provoking conferences, and high-stakes competitions. From retrospective explorations of mid-century masters and avant-garde collectives to forward-looking inquiries into climate resilience, artificial intelligence, and social equity, this month’s cultural calendar highlights the profound ways the built environment intersects with contemporary society.
Finland’s Design Museum Spotlights the Nurmesniemi Legacy
For its headline exhibition this fall, Finland’s Design Museum is presenting a comprehensive and long-overdue look at the remarkable creative output of the renowned designer couple Antti and Vuokko Nurmesniemi. Operating as both individual talents and a collaborative powerhouse, Antti—an accomplished interior designer—and Vuokko—a celebrated textile artist—left an indelible mark on the landscape of Scandinavian design. Working across the multifaceted fields of architecture, fashion, and interior design throughout the latter half of the 20th century, the duo played a pivotal role in shaping and modernizing the Finnish design industry on a global scale. Visitors interested in exploring their enduring influence can find further details and scheduling information directly through the museum’s official website at designmuseum.fi/en.
Pamphlet Architecture at T Space Gallery
Moving to Rhinebeck, New York, T Space Gallery is currently hosting a notable exhibition titled Pamphlet Architecture 37: Visions and Experiments in Architecture, running from September 4 through October 17, 2022. Founded back in 1978 by visionary architect Stephen Holl, Pamphlet Architecture established itself as an influential experimental publication dedicated to championing the bold, unconventional work of emerging designers. Over its rich history, the publication has helped launch the careers of numerous luminaries who would later reshape the architectural discipline, including Zaha Hadid, Lars Lerup, and Mark Mack.
In celebration of reaching its 37th issue and commemorating more than four decades of continuous production, T Space is showcasing the innovative proposals put forward by the five finalists of Pamphlet’s 2021 open call. Centered around the theme "Visions and Experiments in Architecture," the call challenged applicants to conceptualize entirely new architectural frameworks for an evolving social and political consciousness. Beyond the finalist works, the exhibition offers a retrospective overview of Pamphlet’s illustrious history, serving as a poignant tribute to longtime publisher Kevin Lippert, who passed away earlier this spring. Additional information can be found at tspacerhinebeck.org.
Ongoing Exhibitions
The global landscape of ongoing architectural exhibitions features explorations into virtual technology, health infrastructure, historical preservation, and public space.
In Seoul, South Korea, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) is deepening its exploration of digital frontiers with a prominent exhibition titled Meta-Horizons: The Future Now, running through September 18, 2022. Hot on the heels of unveiling their experimental metaverse city, Liberland, the firm is solidifying its stake in virtual worlds through an immersive showcase hosted at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) museum—a striking landmark structure originally designed by ZHA in 2014. The exhibition delves deeply into the vast potential of advanced architectural technologies, such as immersive virtual reality and artificial intelligence-based design methodologies, as vividly expressed throughout the firm’s expansive portfolio. The installation is further enriched by cutting-edge digital artworks created by renowned new media artist Refik Anadol. More details are available at ddp.or.kr.
In Washington, D.C., the National Building Museum is presenting Justice is Beauty: The Work of MASS Design Group through September 30, 2022. The comprehensive exhibition offers an inside look at MASS Design Group’s influential portfolio, featuring meticulous research, unbuilt proposals, and completed buildings that collectively redefine the architecture of health and human dignity. The showcase is powerfully paired with The Gun Violence Memorial Project, a poignant collaborative installation by artist Hank Willis Thomas developed in partnership with the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. The memorial features four distinct glass-brick houses containing intimate mementos commemorating individual lives tragically lost to gun violence. Further information can be accessed via nbm.org.
Meanwhile, on the West Coast, Los Angeles is marking a major architectural centennial with Schindler House: 100 Years in the Making, on view through September 25, 2022. Constructed in 1922, R.M. Schindler’s iconic West Hollywood residence has witnessed countless transformations over its century-long lifespan. The architect originally conceived and built the dwelling as a bold experiment in communal living for himself, his wife Pauline, and their close friends Clyde and Marian Chace. Since 1994, however, the structure has functioned as the headquarters of the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, operating as an independent satellite of the MAK museum in Vienna. To honor the milestone anniversary, MAK has curated a "gentle timeline" chronicling the physical making and unmaking of the house. Curated by MAK Center Director Jia Yi Gu alongside architectural historians Gary Riichirō Fox and Sarah Hearne, the exhibition juxtaposes rare historical materials with contemporary interventions by artists including Carmen Argote, Fiona Connor, Julian Hoeber, and Peter Shire. Additional insights are available through makcenter.org.
In Vienna, the MAK Exhibition Hall is currently hosting Missing Link: Strategies of a Viennese Architecture Group (1970–1980) through October 2, 2022. This exhibition provides the public with its first comprehensive, in-depth view of the radical work produced by the avant-garde architecture collective Missing Link. Founded in 1970 by Angela Hareiter, Otto Kapfinger, and Adolf Krischanitz, the group sought to push the boundaries of the architectural discipline far outside conventional academic and professional constraints. Their diverse body of work ranges widely from utopian proposals envisioning collective communal living to rigorous research studies mapping the complex urban networks of Vienna. Visitors can explore more at mak.at/en.
In London, The Garden of Privatised Delights remains on display through October 15, 2022, at the Building Centre. Originally commissioned by the British Council for the Venice Architecture Biennale and curated by Unscene Architecture, the exhibition takes a critical look at the proliferation of privately-owned public spaces across the United Kingdom. It issues a compelling call for fresh architectural approaches to reconcile the growing tension between private commercial interests and the public good. Featuring contributions from a diverse collective of British architecture firms—including the Decorators, Studio Polpo, and vPPR Architects—the showcase presents seven imaginative, inclusive redesigns of privatized urban spaces. Further details can be found at buildingcentre.co.uk.
In New York City, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is hosting a monumental retrospective dedicated to Bernd & Hilla Becher through November 6, 2022. Marking the first major posthumous exhibition for the legendary German-born photography couple, the show brings together over 200 works documenting the rapidly disappearing industrial architecture of the postwar era, establishing their profound impact on both contemporary photography and conceptual art. Additional information is available at metmuseum.org.
Also in New York, the Public Art Fund’s Black Atlantic exhibition continues to transform Brooklyn Bridge Park through November 27, 2022. The park site holds deep historical significance as a former maritime harbor that physically and economically linked the Americas to Europe and Africa. Inspired by cultural theorist Paul Gilroy’s influential 1993 book of the same name, the exhibition features striking, large-scale, site-specific installations created by contemporary artists Hugh Hayden, Leilah Babirye, Dozie Kanu, Tau Lewis, and Kiyan Williams. Through their works, these artists examine the enduring legacy of transatlantic networks on the African diaspora, thoughtfully weaving together global histories and personal identities. More information can be found at publicartfund.org.
Events
This season’s lineup of conferences and public tours addresses critical themes ranging from landscape activism to residential innovation and ecological renewal.
In Dallas, Texas, The Cultural Landscape Foundation is preparing to host the Oberlander Prize Forum II: Landscape Activism on October 28, 2022. The high-profile conference will convene a distinguished gathering of design professionals, historians, and critics to examine the profound real-world impacts of activist methodologies within contemporary landscape architecture. The event will specifically spotlight groundbreaking work from leading practitioners and firms, including Julie Bargmann of D.I.R.T. Studio and the renowned design practice OLIN. Further details and registration can be accessed at tclf.org.
In Austin, Texas, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) is bringing back its highly anticipated in-person AIA Austin Homes Tour on October 22 and 23, 2022, marking its first physical presentation since 2019. Architecture enthusiasts will have the opportunity to embark on self-guided tours showcasing innovative new residential designs crafted by prominent local firms throughout the Austin area. This year’s featured practices include Lake|Flato, Studio Steinbomer, and Furman + Keil Architects. Complete event information is available through aiaaustin.org.
Looking ahead to November, Berlin will serve as the host city for Driving the Human: Seven Prototypes for Eco-social Renewal, taking place from November 25 to 27, 2022. The three-day festival represents the culmination of three years of intensive, transdisciplinary collaboration, research, and design aimed directly at tackling the escalating climate crisis. The event centers around seven realized prototypes that respond to complex contemporary scenarios, investigating forward-thinking concepts such as the generative potential of artificial intelligence or human-bacteria collaboration in mitigating environmental degradation. Additional information can be found at drivingthehuman.com.
Competitions
As coastal cities worldwide grapple with unprecedented environmental and socio-economic pressures, design competitions continue to offer visionary solutions to urgent urban dilemmas.
In Miami, Florida, the organization Arch Out Loud is currently inviting global design proposals for the Miami Floating Housing competition, with a submission deadline set for November 9, 2022. As the coastal metropolis confronts the intertwined crises of severe housing affordability and accelerating sea-level rise—phenomena increasingly tied to the emerging socio-economic challenge of climate gentrification—the competition seeks innovative architectural concepts for floating residential communities situated within Biscayne Bay. With registration phases running through the fall months, interested participants can find complete competition guidelines and timelines by visiting archoutloud.com.
