Students from the Architectural Association’s Diploma Unit 11 have created work that expands our understanding of London. The students’ work speaks of London as a strange and familiar place, where alternative cities exist within the city – an idea inspired by China Miéville’s fantasy novel Un Lun Dun (2007).

Led by Shin Egashira, the students worked together to investigate the urban transformation of London through a collage where unbuilt designs sit alongside existing as well as demolished buildings.

John Hejduk’s masques, which symbolise cities made up of subjects and objects, inspired each student to write their own brief for an object. On display alongside one of Hejduk’s objects, the Widow’s House, the students’ models represent fragments of the city, tools or reimagined neighbourhoods. Using materials including wood, steel, plaster and pewter, the work shows how our imaginations come together with reality to make the cities we live in.

London Un-masqued is open until 21 May 2023.

This display features work by students aged 15–21 from the RA’s attRAct programme. In August 2022 the group took part in a week of practical, discursive and collaborative workshops inspired by John Hejduk’s Lancaster / Hanover Masque (1980–82), led by Mark Hampson, artist and Head of Fine Art Processes at the RA Schools, and Enej Gala, RA Schools student.

The attRAct programme is a free, year-long opportunity for young people, with monthly workshops led by professional artists, architects, and other creatives. Supported by The Nicholas Bacon Charitable Trust.

We Built This City is open until 5 February 2023.

This display features work by participants from the RA’s Family programme for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who have built landscapes and imaginary cities inspired by John Hejduk’s Lancaster / Hanover Masque (1980-82).

In May and June 2022 a group of families who met at the RA and have formed a close-knit community, were invited to attend four short workshops led by artist-educator Cash Aspeek. Each week they used a distinct colour or material to reflect a theme in Hejduk’s masque. A silver city presents buildings with human as well as animal characteristics; black materials were used to create a world of slotted structures; the colour red represents the fireworks and fairground attractions that inspired the architect, while natural materials express imaginary farming communities and animal enclosures.

The RA’s Family programme for children with SEND is supported by The Lord Leonard and Lady Estelle Wolfson Foundation.

Friendship and Alchemy is open until 9 October 2022.

This display featured models made by students from the Royal College of Art MA Interior Design programme during a three-week project in October 2021.

Inspired by the Lancaster / Hanover Masque, students were asked to translate a character from Hejduk’s sketches and text into their designs as 3D models using personal interpretations and stories from their own experiences and culture.

Translations was open from 22 March – 10 July 2022.