The Four Quadrants of Architecture at the RA Summer Exhibition

If you're in London this summer, don't miss to check out this year’s Architecture Room at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, curated by Piers Gough of CZWG and Alan Stanton of Stanton Williams. The exhibition opened on June 7 and runs through August 15, 2011.

Exhibitions of current architecture are only too rare but the architecture room at the Royal Academy summer exhibition is unique as it is an architectural exhibition in the center of an art exhibition. Architecture and art are normally shown separately – this annual exhibition allows for the opportunity for formal links between art, architecture and sculpture to be enjoyed.

This year, it is in Room VI directly on axis from the entry through the octagonal Central Hall and in the middle of the enfilade of the northern range of galleries. These two axes divide the space into four quadrants, which separate the works into various themes represented in the works sent in.

The spaces are ordered by four segments of oval plinths for models allowing generous circulation through and around them and for viewing wall works. The curved plinths invite a freer arrangement than usual for the ubiquitous orthogonal models. Allowing them space to be seen in the round. 

Images on the blue grey walls are organized above and below a strong horizontal band around the whole room to give an overall calmness to the mixed sizes and media of the material. Zaha Hadid’s gorgeous concept painting of the dynamic ceiling of her Glasgow transport museum is placed on the entry axis. Its folded forms echoed in the central model of the room - Tonkin Liu’s ravishing Shi Ling bridge. Other works in the exhibition are also arranged to emphasize these sort resonances as well as typologies.

Throughout their careers, both Piers and Alan have been fairly prolific in designing exhibitions and gallery spaces. Stanton Williams have designed a number of arts exhibitions over the years and are currently designing new museum projects in Berlin and France.

While CZWG were responsible for the exhibitions of Lutyens at the Hayward and Gilbert and Soane at the Royal Academy also the permanent Regency, Victorian and early 20th century galleries at the National Portrait Gallery.