4 must-see architecture and design events to check out this July

As the Northern Hemisphere heads out for summer vacations, the architecture and design community still has lots on the calendar, including exciting biennales, fairs, and exhibitions.

From the roster of ongoing and upcoming events listed on Bustler, here is a brief curated selection of recommendations worth checking out this July.

International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR): Nature of Hope 2024 | Until October 13, Rotterdam

"The 11th edition of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR) with the title Nature of Hope will take place from 29 June to 13 October 2024 and will include an exhibition at the Nieuwe Instituut, a public program and Botanical Monuments, green places in Rotterdam. In addition to the exhibition at the Nieuwe Instituut, it includes an extensive Public Program and a green network through Rotterdam to visit its so-called Botanical Monuments. Through a series of events, lectures, workshops, excursions and other activities, Nature of Hope’s Public Program of connects to various forms of existing knowledge and the practices that are transforming the very nature of the design disciplines."

I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture | Until January 5, 2025, Hong Kong

"The first full-scale retrospective of Ieoh Ming Pei (1917–2019), I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture properly appraises for the first time the work of one of the greatest architects of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Pei’s high-profile projects were realised over seven decades with an exceptionally wide geographic reach, including the National Gallery of Art East Building in Washington, D.C., modernisation of the Grand Louvre in Paris, Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, and Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. These iconic landmarks solidified Pei’s position in architectural history and popular culture. His life and work weave together a tapestry of power dynamics, geopolitical complexities, cultural traditions, and the character of cities around the world, and his transcultural vision laid a foundation for the contemporary world."

New Designers | Until July 6, London

"New Designers is an annual London showcase of the UK’s most innovative emerging design talent. Since its inception 39 years ago, New Designers has provided a platform for over 3,000 graduates every year to present their visionary ideas to industry professionals and the public. The event takes place over two weeks, with different disciplines highlighted in Week 1 and Week 2, spanning fashion, textiles, furniture, product design, illustration, and more."

Spatializing Reproductive Justice | Until September 3, New York

"Spatializing Reproductive Justice is a traveling exhibition and programming series that aims to spread awareness of the inequities of reproductive care in the United States and the agency of design fields to expand access. Learning from past and present reproductive and sexual health justice movements, the project addresses the spatial, legal, and social logistics of reproductive healthcare access in the United States after the repeal of Roe v. Wade. Student research and work by design studios investigates how the intersecting and compounding factors of race, class, and gender impact an individual’s access to care, and offer speculative design proposals for facilities, systems, and networks enabling reproductive care access. Expanding beyond the studios’ work, the exhibition aims to foster a dialogue among designers, healthcare providers, advocates, and students to explore how practitioners of the built environment can respond to and support reproductive justice in the US."

Do you have an architecture or design event you want to promote? Submit it to our event calendar via Bustler for review and a potential feature.