12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful

Thinking broadly of architecture, the masterpieces of the past inevitably come to mind; buildings constructed to withstand the passage of time, that have found an ally in age, cementing themselves in the history of humanity. Permanence, however, is a hefty weight to bear and architecture that is, due to its program, ephemeral should not be cast aside as "lesser-than."

The ephemeral character of museography—architecture for exhibitions—allows for experimentation and a more dynamic approach to design. 

Below, we present 12 exhibition design projects from recent years, designed by architecture practices around the world.

Minding the Digital / MVRDV

Minding the Digital / MVRDV. Image © Zhang Chao

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: MVRDV
Exhibition: Minding the Digital
Location and Date: The Sea World Culture and Arts Center, Shenzhen, China, December 12th, 2017 - June 3rd, 2018

Fear and Love - Sam Jacob Studio

Fear and Love / Sam Jacob Studio. Image Courtesy of Sam Jacob Studio

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: Sam Jacob Studio
Exhibition: Fear and Love
Location and Date: London Design Museum, November 24th, 2016 - April 23, 2017

A Search for Living Architecture / Bestor Architecture

A Search for Living Architecture / Bestor Architects. Image © Lance Gerber

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: Bestor Architecture
Exhibition: A Search for Living Architecture
Location and Date: Palm Springs Art Museum, September 9th, 2017 - January 7th, 2018

Pierre Chareau: Modern Architecture and Design - Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Pierre Chareau: Modern Architecture and Design / Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Image via Diller Scofidio + Renfro

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Exhibition: Pierre Chareau: Modern Architecture and Design
Location and Date: Jewish Museum in New York, November 4th, 2016 - March 26, 2017

'Gerzso, Gerzso, Gerzso' - LANZA Atelier

Gerzso, Gerzso, Gerzso / LANZA Atelier. Image Courtesy of LANZA Atelier

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: LANZA Atelier
Design team: Alejandro Márquez, Celina Bonadeo, Jéssica Hernández, Isabel Abascal and Alessandro Arienzo
Construction: Factor Eficiencia and Arquitectura Básica
Location and Date: Centro Cultural Tlatelolco, Mexico City, 2015

Frei Otto. Thinking in Models - FAR frohn&rojas

Frei Otto. Thinking in Models / FAR frohn&rojas. Image Courtesy of FAR frohn&rojas

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: FAR frohn&rojas
Exhibition: Frei Otto. Thinking in Models
Location and Date: ZKM Center for Art and Media, Karlsruhe, Germany, November 5th, 2016 - March 12th, 2017

'MXCD01' - PALMA

MXCD01 / PALMA. Image Courtesy of PALMA

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: PALMA (Ilse Cárdenas, Regina de Hoyos, Diego Escamilla, Juan Luis Rivera)
Design Team: Eugenio Rebolleda
Curator: Mario Ballesteros
Location and Date: Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura

Sao Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) Display / Lina Bo Bardi reviewed by METRO Arquitetos

Sao Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) / Lina Bo Bardi reviewed by METRO Arquitetos. Image © Romullo Baratto

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: Lina Bo Bardi reviewed by METRO Arquitetos
Exhibition: Rotating works from the Sao Paulo Museum of Art (MASP) collection
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil 

Under the Same Sun / Frida Escobedo

Under the Same Sun / Frida Escobedo. Image Courtesy of Museo Jumex

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: Frida Escobedo
Design Team: 
Frida Escobedo, Olivier Bellflamme, Natalia Gálvez, Federica Lombardi, Mariana Ríos
Curator: 
Pablo León de la Barra
Location: 
Museo Jumex, Mexico City

Kurt Schwitters: Merz / Zaha Hadid Architects

Kurt Schwitters: Merz / Zaha Hadid Architects. Image Courtesy of Galerie Gmurzynska

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: Zaha Hadid Architects
Exhibition: Kurt Schwitters: Merz
Location and Date: Galerie Gmurzynska, Zurich, June 12th - October 8th, 2016

El Viaje de los Objetos / Germen Estudio

El Viaje de los Objetos / Germen Estudio. Image Courtesy of Germen Estudio

12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful - More Images+ 46

Architects: Germen Estudio
Exhibition:
El Viaje de los Objetos
Location and Date: Centro Cultural Universitario Tlatelolco CCUT, Mexico City, 2016

Chamber of Wonders / PRODUCTORA

Chamber of Wonders / PRODUCTORA. Image Courtesy of PRODUCTORA

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Architects: PRODUCTORA
Exhibition: Chamber of Wonders
Curator: Jens Hoffman
Location and Date: Mexico City, Medellín, Rio de Janeiro, 2016

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About this author
Cite: Karina Zatarain. "12 Exhibition Design Projects that Show Architecture Doesn't Have to Be Permanent to Be Powerful" 10 Feb 2018. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/888648/12-exhibition-design-projects-that-show-architecture-doesnt-have-to-be-permanent-to-be-powerful> ISSN 0719-8884

Minding the Digital / MVRDV. Image © Zhang Chao

一切皆建筑,十二个出色的展览设计!

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