This evening's ABAR and conversation is organized in conjunction with the exhibition The Choreography of Democracy at Form/Design Center. The exhibition explores how design shapes the objects, symbols, and rituals of our democratic practices – from ballot papers and voting booths to the architecture of decision-making.
Sam Jacob has long been a central figure in the international architectural debate. Through his acclaimed blog Strange Harvest and his columns in publications such as Dezeen and ArtReview, he has for decades explored how taste, aesthetics, and visual culture are deeply intertwined with class and democracy. For Jacob, architecture is never just about buildings – it is a form of communication and a way of making political ideas real.
Recently, he was appointed Professor and Dean of the prestigious Institute of Architecture (IoA) at Die Angewandte in Vienna, a role where he is shaping the future of architectural education with a focus on architecture as a form of representation– technically, culturally, and politically.
During the evening, we will delve into Jacob's thoughts on how architects can reclaim their social significance by daring to be "un-architectural" and learning from everything from advertising to pop art. We will discuss his journey from the pioneering firm FAT Architecture to his current practice, Sam Jacob Studio, and how his projects– ranging from social housing to museum entrances – use familiar references to create places with character, humor, and a strong civic focus.
Who is represented in the public space? What does a façade tell us about our view of democracy? And how can we use our imagination to build a better reality?
A warm welcome to all!
Bio: Sam Jacob
Sam Jacob is the director of Sam Jacob Studio for architecture and design – a collaborative practice that makes buildings, places, strategies, and objects. Recent projects include a new mixed-use building in Hoxton, offices for ArtReview, the V&A Museum's Cromwell Road entrance, and the Science Museum Group's National Collections Centre.
Recent exhibition designs include Morris Mania at the William Morris Gallery, The Horror Show at Somerset House, as well as projects for the Design Museum and the London Museum. He is Professor and Dean of the Institute of Architecture at the Angewandte, Vienna.
Sam has been described as ‘Spartan’ by Roger Scruton, “More advanced and more frivolous than Hans Hollein” by Hermann Czech, and as a ‘pervert and degenerate’ who writes like Abraham Lincoln by Robert Venturi.
Read more: Explore his texts and projects over at samjacob.com and dive into the archives of his legendary blog at strangeharvest.com.
Program
17:30 Doors open – bar and mingling
18:00 Sam Jacob: Architecture as Representation – a lecture on aesthetics, power, and democracy.
18:45 Conversation and Q&A.
19:15–21:00 Bar, book table, and mingling and posibility to see the exibition.