From a mobile pub to a thatched canopy: Japanese architecture and craft explored at AA show in London
'Distillation of Architecture', a new AA show in London, pairs architects with materials and makers in an exploration of craft through the Japanese lens

A new AA show at the famed London architecture school has opened exploring the relationship between architecture and makers. On display on the ground and first-floor gallery spaces of the Architectural Association (AA) on Bedford Square, 'Distillation of Architecture' brings craft to the spotlight through the lens of the Japanese creative. It aims at a playful distilling of architectural thinking and design into furniture and objects.
Four pairings have made an equal number of collaborative groups between architecture practices and material and craft specialists in an exploration of a distinct, traditional method or matter. Participants include Schemata Architects with Ikuya Sagara; Studio MNM with Kittaka Brothers & Corp, Bansyo, iskw_sss and Imatoku Kogei; Suzuko Yamada with Yuki Murakami; and Tsubame Architects with Hidakuma Studio.
Tour the new AA show ' Distillation of Architecture'
Each group has been asked to 'rethink a piece of furniture', resulting in weird and wonderful interpretations of things such as a mobile pub to lanterns, rugs and even an entire thatched canopy. There are timber constructions made of wood offcuts and blue-dyed fabric used in flexible furniture items.
Shin Egashira, Head of the Koshirakura Landscape Workshop Visiting School and Diploma 11 Unit Tutor at the AA who has been central to the school’s Maeda collaboration, says: ‘The architects and makers in this exhibition challenge the conventions of mass-produced and mass-consumed furniture in their designs. They combine architectural elements with furniture, playfully echoing the diverse forms that contemporary lifestyles can take. These practitioners pursue mobility, connectivity and compactness in their work, sharing an affinity with makers who apply traditional techniques to modern materials to achieve an economy of means.’
The exhibition, which is open at the Architectural Association AA) on Bedford Square, London until 7 March 2025, was made possible with the support of the Maeda Corporation and celebrates its 30 years of collaboration with the AA.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Unlike the gloriously grotesque imagery in his films, Yorgos Lanthimos’ photographs are quietly beautiful
An exhibition at Webber Gallery in Los Angeles presents Yorgos Lanthimos’ photography
By Katie Tobin Published
-
Remembering architect David M Childs (1941-2025) and his New York skyline legacy
David M Childs, a former chairman of architectural powerhouse SOM, has passed away. We celebrate his professional achievements
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
At the Institute of Indology, a humble new addition makes all the difference
Continuing the late Balkrishna V Doshi’s legacy, Sangath studio design a new take on the toilet in Gujarat
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Are Derwent London's new lounges the future of workspace?
Property developer Derwent London’s new lounges – created for tenants of its offices – work harder to promote community and connection for their users
By Emily Wright Published
-
A new concrete extension opens up this Stoke Newington house to its garden
Architects Bindloss Dawes' concrete extension has brought a considered material palette to this elegant Victorian family house
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A former garage is transformed into a compact but multifunctional space
A multifunctional, compact house by Francesco Pierazzi is created through a unique spatial arrangement in the heart of the Surrey countryside
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A 1960s North London townhouse deftly makes the transition to the 21st Century
Thanks to a sensitive redesign by Studio Hagen Hall, this midcentury gem in Hampstead is now a sustainable powerhouse.
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
An architect’s own home offers a refined and leafy retreat from its East London surroundings
Studioshaw has completed a courtyard house in amongst a cluster of traditional terraced houses, harnessing the sun and plenty of greenery to bolster privacy and warmth
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
The museum of the future: how architects are redefining cultural landmarks
What does the museum of the future look like? As art evolves, so do the spaces that house it – pushing architects to rethink form and function
By Katherine McGrath Published
-
'Bold and unapologetic', this contemporary Wimbledon home replaces a 1970s house on site
This grey-brick Wimbledon home by McLaren Excell is a pairing of brick and concrete, designed to be mysterious
By Tianna Williams Published
-
A Danish twist, compact architecture, and engineering magic: the Don’t Move, Improve 2025 winners are here
Don’t Move, Improve 2025 announces its winners, revealing the residential projects that are rethinking London living
By Ellie Stathaki Published