Our recent summer study trip to London coincided with the launch of New Architects 5, in which our work is featured. This is the latest in a series of publications by the Architecture Foundation, first published in 1998.  The previous four books have long been a feature of our bookshelves, documenting successive generations of emerging architectural practices.

The launch party of New Architects 5 brought together many of the architects featured in the new publication. It was great to meet practices whose work we have followed through the series, as well as Ellis Woodman, Director of the Zaha Hadid Foundation.

As part of the summer programme to complement the launch, featured practices were invited to contribute a book to a temporary library at the Zaha Hadid Foundation. We sent a copy of North by North-West: The Architecture of Liam McCormick, co-written by Jane’s father, Paul Larmour, which we found on the shelves keeping good company between Dave Lea: Architect of Principle and Organic Architecture by Kengo Kuma.

Alongside the launch, we visited V&A East and Sadler’s Wells, both by O’Donnell + Tuomey, and the V&A Storehouse by Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Visiting these buildings in use offered different approaches to making spaces for culture and public life, from V&A East’s relationship with the surrounding Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to the Storehouse’s approach to the storage, conservation and accessibility of the V&A collection, as well as encountering a public tango lesson at Sadler’s Wells.

We also visited the Royal Academy’s Annual Summer Exhibition, which offered a wonderfully varied mix of art, architecture and ideas. The close relationship between art and architecture was evident throughout the exhibition, both in the work itself and in its presentation. We particularly enjoyed Antony Gormley’s simple but engaging boxes made entirely from cardboard and tape.