Take home a taste of ‘Sensing Spaces’

The Great Architecture Fair

Published 17 March 2014

What happens to the works in our exhibitions once the final visitor has departed? In the case of ‘Sensing Spaces’ we’re offering the exclusive opportunity to take home your favourite pieces.

  • After most of our temporary exhibitions each work is uninstalled, packaged up, and carefully transported back to where it came from: the home of a private collector, perhaps, or the collection of a national museum. But Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined has been a little bit different: seven of the world’s most original and exciting architects have created bespoke installations that take over our Main Galleries to convey the power of architecture.

    Now, as Sensing Spaces enters its final few weeks, we’ve launched the Great Architecture Fair in order to allow the original works to have a life beyond the exhibition. Taking place exclusively online from 13 March – 7 April 2014, the fair provides architecture fans with varying budgets a unique chance to own aspects of this groundbreaking exhibition, with prices starting from just £5.

    As Kate Goodwin, the curator of Sensing Spaces, says: “These structures were designed by the architects to harness some of the basic and fundamental aspects of architecture, inviting us to experience their physical and emotional power. The Fair is a chance to take away an aspect of the installations as a memento of this experience. I am fascinated to see where the pieces end up.”

    The Great Architecture Fair follows in the footsteps of our annual Summer Exhibition, which supports our diverse programme of exhibitions and has contributed towards enabling the RA Schools to offer a three-year postgraduate programme without any fees since 1769. As Angharad Lloyd-Jones, Deputy Director of Development, says: “The Great Architecture Fair is an important part of our approach to fundraising, with all proceeds going straight back into our exhibition programme. We’re seeing all kinds of innovative fundraising for arts and culture, – from pop-up shops to crowdfunding – and this is an experiment for the RA, both to raise money and to give the show life after the doors close on Piccadilly.”

  • Items for sale include a collection of Zen Garden pebbles from Li Xiaodong’s labyrinth for £10, Diébédo Francis Kéré’s stool with inventive use of honeycomb plastic for £275, and a private out-of-hours visit to the exhibition for £450. We recently had a man propose to his girlfriend in Sensing Spaces so if you’re thinking of popping the big question, maybe this is your chance…?

    Complete installations include Eduardo Souto de Moura’s concrete arches and Álvaro Siza’s yellow columns currently on display in our courtyard (prices on application). We’re also offering £5 Golden Tickets which to enter into a prize draw for the chance to win a special object from the exhibition.

    All proceeds from the fair will support our exhibition programme to make sure we can continue to bring you world-class projects such as Sensing Spaces. By supporting the Great Architecture Fair, you’ll not only be taking away a piece of history, but you’ll be adding your own building block to our future.

    Sensing Spaces is in the Main Galleries until 6 April 2014.

    The Great Architecture Fair is online until 7 April 2014.