Architect Richard Rogers Exhibition at Sir John Soane's Museum

The Sir John Soane’s Museum has opened a new temporary exhibition of the life and revolutionary work of British-Italian architect Richard Rogers.

Richard Rogers: Talking Buildings was opened yesterday by the Soane’s Director, Will Gompertz and the curator of the exhibition, Richard’s son, Ab Rogers.

Ab Rogers & Will Gompertz standing in front of an audience — Ab Rogers (left) & Will Gompertz opened the exhibition

The small exhibition in two rooms is the UK’s first retrospective look at Richard Rogers’ life and work since his death in 2021. It focuses on his eight favourite projects from 1967 to 2020: including the Zip-Up House, the Centre Pompidou, Lloyd’s of London and the Millennium Dome.

Architectural model of the Centre Pompidou in Paris

Pompidou Centre Model (Swipe left or click arrow for more…)

Model of a square building on stilts over water

Zip-up House was a design for modular open-plan houses.

3D wooden model of buildings in central London

RSHP Architects (brown buildings) in London

A model of a multi-storey building comprising open glass boxes — Tree House

As Ab Rogers explains, the models and drawings represent are mostly ‘1st editions’ of designs that were changed later or, as in the case of the Tree House, were a creative exercise that never saw completion.

Downstairs, in the fabulously higgledy-piggledy and eccentric Soane’s Museum* there is also a specially commissioned single room installation by Rogers’ former practice, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, now RHSP, showcasing its impact on global urban spaces. A 3D model of central London highlights some of his/their buildings.