Sensing Spaces at The Royal Academy
Sensing Spaces: Architecture Reimagined is on at The Royal Academy until April, and I was lucky to get invited to a private viewing sponsored by Space NK (do you see what they did there?). This odd, beautiful and beguiling exhibition challenges our perspective of architecture and asks you to consider how spaces make you feel.
We started the evening with cocktails made with uncommonly good Fever Tree mixers, before having a welcome talk from Kate Goodwin, the curator of Sensing Spaces. We waited a little bit longer for Kate than the schedule had orginally stated, which was no bad thing as everyone was drinking and having fun. However, it meant that when Kate asked us to see how we experience the spaces, we all pretty much experienced them drunkenly.
Seven architect firms from around the world were each given a space, making this a truly global debate about the purpose of architecture. They each did something vastly different, playing with space, light and texture. Some rooms were magical or spooky to walk round, others were more functional, but they all made you think.
Probably the heart of the exhibition is this wooden tower that takes you right up to the ceiling of one of the Royal Academy's tallest rooms. At the top were holes with staircases you could wander down. It was an odd experience, like being in some kind of rabbit warren.
It was also strange being so near the ceiling that you could reach out and touch the cornices and plaster angels of the Academy's original architecture. They were totally putting a stop to this with some warning signs.
The old building and the new truly merged together. Especially in my favourite space, one made of colourful plastic straws! This was the most fun for us drunkards, and we all giggled like children as we added to the straw-hut. You could walk through it, and it felt amazing! Like being in the middle of a game of Ker-Plunk.
This space also won in my eyes by being the only one to include loungers. This made it the most inviting space; architecture that expects people to want to stay for a while and get comfy.
Just when you thought you couldn't possibly have any more fun with straws, they invite you to make your own straw sculpture. You can have the honour of seeing your own work displayed in the Royal Academy.
There was a huge contrast of ideas and experiences put into all the works, and each one evokes different feelings. Whether you are drunk or sober, this is definitely worth exploring.
On the way out we each got given a Space NK goody bag - mine had bath soak, Fever Tree tonic water, many samples and a gorgeous smelling candle. Thanks Royal Academy and Space NK! A great boozy, thought-provoking, fun evening.