Royal Academy of Arts will present an exhibition of Swiss architectural practice Herzog & de Meuron
The Royal Academy of Arts will host an exhibition in July featuring Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron (H&dM), providing visitors with unprecedented access to the firm's methodology, philosophy, and groundbreaking projects.
Image: Herzog & de Meuron. Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, 2001-16. Photo © Iwan Baan.
The Royal Academy of Arts will unveil an eagerly anticipated exhibition of the celebrated Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron (H&dM), marking the duo's first showcase in London in almost two decades. Since its establishment in Basel in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, H&dM has revolutionised the built environment worldwide with its innovative approach to architecture. Co-curated with the architects themselves, this exhibition will offer visitors unparalleled insight into the methodology and philosophy behind the firm's ground-breaking projects. Showcasing a wide variety of working techniques, materials and technologies, it is a rare opportunity to explore the contextualised beauty of H&dM's masterpieces. Recent and ongoing projects span a wide range of applications, including museums, hospitals, stadiums, and private and public buildings, such as London's Tate Modern (2000 and 2016), Laban Dance Centre (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 (due for completion in 2024).
Image: Herzog & de Meuron. Tate Modern, London, 1995-2000, 2005-16. Photo © Iwan Baan.
The exhibition will be divided into three rooms showcasing the process and experience of architectural creation. The first room will have objects from H&dM's Kabinett and six photographic works by Thomas Ruff. The second room will feature a film by Bêka & Lemoine depicting life at the REHAB Clinic and a film installation based on people inhabiting and exploring H&dM's projects. The third room will focus on healing architecture and feature a 1:1 interior mock-up of a hospital patient room from H&dM's Kinderspital Zürich project, which visitors can explore using AR.
Image: Herzog & de Meuron. M+, Hong Kong, 2012-21. Photo © Kevin Mak.
Herzog & de Meuron is an internationally acclaimed architectural practice with headquarters in Basel, Switzerland. Founded in 1978 by Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, the firm is currently led by the two founders, together with Partners and the CEO. Today, a team of over 600 professionals collaborates on projects across Europe, the Americas and Asia, with studios in Berlin and Munich, Paris, London, Hong Kong, New York, and San Francisco, and site offices in Copenhagen, Jerusalem, and Hangzhou.
Date:14 July – 15 October 2023. Location: Herzog & de Meuron, The Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD. Price: from £13. Concessions available. Book now.
