Swiss architectural practice Herzog & de Meuron will present an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts from 14 July to 15 October 2023 in London, marking the practice's first exhibition in London for almost twenty years.

Founded in Basel in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, the practice has shaped cities across the world by reimagining the nature of architecture. This exhibition, curated in close collaboration with the architects, will provide visitors with an insight into the thinking and approaches applied to their projects. 

With a range of working methods, materials and technologies displayed, it is an opportunity to experience H&dM’s architecture and its surrounding contexts.

Notable recent and current projects include museums, hospitals, stadiums, and private and public buildings including Tate Modern, London (2000 and 2016), Laban Dance Centre, London (2003), the National Stadium Beijing (Bird’s Nest) (2008), Elbphilharmonie Hamburg (2016), REHAB Basel (2002 and 2020), M+, Hong Kong (2021), the Royal College of Art, London (2022) and Kinderspital Zürich (to be completed in 2024).

Herzog & de Meuron. M+, Hong Kong, 2012-21. Photography © Kevin Mak

The exhibition will be arranged in a sequence of three spaces that together explore the ideas and processes in the making and experience of architecture. The first room will bring a part of H&dM’s Kabinett, an open storage and research space, from Basel to London. 

Tall timber shelves will show around 400 objects including a range of models, materials, prints, photographs and film clips, representing a diverse, yet specific, range of projects. Alongside these Kabinett vitrines will be six large photographic works of select projects by artist Thomas Ruff, illustrating H&dM’s interest in the perception of architecture and their long-standing collaborations with artists. Via augmented reality (AR), visitors will also be able to delve further into projects which will be brought to life in the exhibition through digital 3D models and animation.

The second room will be a film space. A large central screen will show a new film by renowned filmmakers Bêka & Lemoine, featuring daily life at H&dM’s project REHAB Clinic for Neurorehabilitation and Paraplegiology in Basel, Switzerland. On the other side of the screen will be a film installation based on observations of people occupying and exploring H&dM projects.

Herzog & de Meuron. Extension of the Stadtcasino Basel, 2012-20. Photography © Ruedi Walti

The final room will be dedicated to healing architecture and will focus on a single project which is currently under construction, the Kinderspital Zürich, Switzerland. 

The project won an international competition in 2012, which called for a new facility with pioneering hospital architecture. 

The display will give visitors an insight into the work process and the questions H&dM asks itself when approaching the design of a healing space. The room will include a 1:1 interior mock-up of a section of a hospital patient room, illustrating H&dM’s humanising of hospital rooms and designs. Visitors will be able to explore the room at full scale using AR.

Herzog & de Meuron. Laban Dance Centre, London, 1997-2003. Photography © Margherita Spiluttini

The exhibition is organised by the Royal Academy of Arts, London, in collaboration with Herzog & de Meuron. 

Presented at the Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries, the exhibition is curated by Vicky Richardson, Head of Architecture and Drue Heinz Curator, Royal Academy of Arts, in close collaboration with Herzog & de Meuron.

The exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated publication with texts by Ricky Burdett, Bêka & Lemoine, Beate Söntgen, Marc Forster, Henrik Schødts and Vicky Richardson.

Press preview will be made on Tuesday 11 July 2023, 10am-1pm.

Top image: Herzog & de Meuron. Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, 2001-16. Photography © Iwan Baan.

> via Royal Academy of Arts

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