RSA Friends Room and Corridor
Free entry
As a public, our appreciation of architecture stems from experience of our built environment. However, behind the façades of the buildings we know, hide many other designs that remain unrealised. Losing competition entries, early sketches, perspective views and elevations often remain hidden and can reveal more of the history of architectural practice over the years. The RSA's collection of architecture contains a good deal of works that have never broken ground and what's more many of these are beautifully executed watercolours and drawings that show the talents of draughtsmanship that used to be essential in the architect's trade. Their most intriguing quality though, is that perspective of 'what if' and 'what might have been' when considered in light of the buildings they never became.
In celebration of the 2016 year of architecture Un:Realised reveals the architectural drawings and models from the RSA's collection that, had they been erected, would have created a quite different urban landscape today.
Accompanying the exhibition in the Friends Corridor will be a selection of paintings, prints and drawings inspired by architecture and architectural form.
