Herzog & De Meuron at the Royal Academy, August 15th 2023

 Herzog & De Meuron at the Royal Academy on the 15th of August 2023


Tate Modern, London, 1995-2000, 2005-16, Photo c Iwan Baan

 Who are Herzog and de Meuron?  Turns out they are the architects that built the Tate Modern and many other buildings besides.  Their business HQ is in Basel, Switzerland, a small yet vital city which possesses the 11th most valuable art collection in the world.  How does Switzerland manage to punch so far above its weight since its one of the smallest European nations in terms of population and land mass?

Herzog and de Meuron at the Royal Academy

The countries liberal ethos and championing of progressive values is reflected in Herzog’s and de Meuron’s work.  Swiss neutrality has been adapted after WW2, making Switzerland a vital, influential nation.  

Extension of the Stadtcasino Basel, 2012-2020, Photo c Ruedi Walti

The exhibition begins with their models for buildings as diverse as the Serpentine Gallery, Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge football stadium, and the Tate Modern.  The models fall into two categories, firstly conceptual designs which emphasize the overall design features of the projected buildings.  Then further models that begin to add in the necessary details to complete the architectural plan.  Not only are there wooden models but also paper drawings, video clips, and actual materials. 

Herzog and de Meuron at the Royal Academy


Of course, Herzog and de Meuron have worked all over the world and there are further details of projects in Europe, Korea, Israel, and America.

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, 2001-16.  Photo c Iwan Bann


The highlight of the exhibition, however, is a film made by Ila Beka and Louise Lemoine about the Basel Rehabilitation Centre built by Herzog and de Meuron.  A series of case studies, filmed almost as if they are confessions, details the road to recovery of car crash victims, victims of strokes, and even more obscure neurological conditions.  The models, mock ups, and vitrines pale into insignificance because their true purpose is revealed.  They are intended to aid the course of humanity by relieving suffering.  There are not always easy explanations, a car crash victim cannot remember anything about the crash that disabled both him and his heavily pregnant wife. The road to recovery is anything but straightforward or easy.  The scenes that stay in the memory are rehab victims playing basketball with the rehab nurses, a stroke victim climbing stairs, and a heavily pregnant woman dragged from a car to give birth by Caesarian insection. 

Kinderspital Zurich, 2011 - planned completion 2024. Drawing. c Herzog and de Meuron.


Photographs by Thomas Ruff and Andreas Gursky depict the end results of Herzog and de Meuron’s projects.

Herzog and de Meuron at the Royal Academy


The final room of this miniature exhibition depicts a new project, a kinderspital in Basel which is also available via an augmented version accessed through a QR code and smart phone. 

Herzog and de Meuron at the Royal Academy


This exhibition presents various strategies for presenting art and architecture that are both pre and post digital.  The balance between the conceptual and the human is correctly balanced even though we hardly catch a single glimpse of the actual buildings.

Laban Dance Centre, London, 1997-2003. Photo c Margherita Spiluttini


Paul Murphy, The Royal Academy, August 2023

M+ , Hong Kong, 2012-2021. Photo c Kevin Mak


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