The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have just announced the news of their latest exhibition titled "Difficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds." Showcasing "architectural achievement in the face of tricky and uncompromising sites," the exhibition will take place at the RIBA Architecture Gallery, 66 Portland Place, London, from October 11, 2024, to March 29, 2025. The showcase features prominent works from renowned architects like Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, Neave Brown, and Lord Norman Foster, as well as contemporary practices such as Tonkin Liu, KnoxBhavan, and Carmody Groarke.
Spanning projects from 1900 to the present, the exhibition aims to highlight a diverse range of complex and innovative buildings that have overcome some of the most difficult sites in Britain. In fact, each project showcased in the exhibition represents an innovative response to difficult landscapes, urban spaces, and the reworking of existing structures. These projects, including homes, cultural institutions, and commercial buildings, highlight the ingenuity and resilience of architects in overcoming site-specific challenges.
"Difficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds," presents a detailed look at more than 20 architectural projects across Britain that have successfully navigated challenging site conditions. The projects showcased are grouped into three categories—Difficult Landscapes, Difficult Urban Spaces, and Difficult Reworkings—each highlighting innovative design solutions tailored to specific site constraints.
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RIBA Announces the Shortlist for the 2024 Stirling PrizeDifficult Sites: Architecture Against the Odds celebrates the pioneering spirit that lies at the heart of great architecture. These projects and their architects push the boundaries of what architecture can achieve. As environments become more changeable and the needs of societies grow and evolve, navigating challenging sites will become ever more important for architects and clients. This exhibition offers fascinating and important case studies of exceptional creative vision and technical innovation, continuing RIBA’s legacy of championing architecture and its place in shaping the future. -- Muyiwa Oki, RIBA President
Notable examples include Creek Vean House, which is integrated into the steep banks of a Cornish river; 28 1/2 Lansdowne Crescent, a narrow urban home; and the Weston Tower, a modern addition to Westminster Abbey. Through models, drawings, photography, and plans, the exhibition provides visitors with an understanding of the creative approaches taken to overcome these architectural challenges.
In other similar news, Edmund Sumner recently presented the “Traces” exhibition, a solo show at Rodic Davidson Architects in London featuring architectural photography that explores cultural identity and historical significance across diverse landscapes. Similarly, The Museum of Architectural Drawing presented “Lina Bo Bardi - The Poetry of Concrete,” an exhibition featuring 40 drawings by the esteemed architect Lina Bo Bardi, highlighting her architectural legacy. Finally, M+ Museum in Hong Kong has unveiled the first full-scale retrospective of the renowned Chinese-American architect leoh Ming Pei (1917-2019), widely known as I. M. Pei.
