ARCHIVE:
Rosa Rogina
Rosa is an architect, researcher and curator currently working as Director at London Festival of Architecture, leading on development, curation and delivery of the festival’s annual programme.
Rosa holds MA degree in architecture at the Royal College of Art and MA in Research Architecture from Goldsmiths, University of London. She has previously worked for some of the world’s leading architectural practices including MVRDV, Grimshaw Architects and Farshid Moussavi Architecture. Rosa has co-curated the Montenegrin Pavilion at the 2018 Venice Biennale and has been curator in residence at Vienna Design Week 2020. In parallel to her work at NLA, she also teaches architecture at the University of East London.
January brought us crisp, cold weather, nudging many to stay indoors. But for those willing to brave the cold, there’s no shortage of cultural activities across the capital to warm you up and provide a perfect excuse to head out.
As we return to the pulse of everyday life in the city, January feels like the perfect moment to both reflect and look ahead—especially as we gear up for the London Festival of Architecture 2025. With the open call for entries now live, the theme of Voices is front of mind when deciding where to go and what to visit. This month, several exhibitions and events across London offer timely reflections on this theme, showing how architecture can be a process of listening to, amplifying, and weaving together the diverse voices that make up our spaces, stories, and neighbourhoods.
At the Architectural Association, Distillation of Architecture explores how the fusion of ideas, materials, and processes drives innovation in the domestic context, including a reflective look at the role of craftsmanship and collaboration in shaping contemporary living environments. For those interested in hearing from Japanese architects and designers working through the lens of ‘architectural distillation’, I’d also recommend the associated event, The Essence of Architecture: Material Conversations, at Japan House London.
Meanwhile, at the Building Centre, Housing Standardisation: Who Designs Our Homes, and How Do We Live? offers a final opportunity to explore the impact of standardisation in housing design on the lives of residents before it closes at the end of the month. The exhibition raises critical questions about whose voices are included in shaping housing regulations and standards, and how we can ensure that everyone has a seat at the table in these conversations.
I also look forward to the launch of Lives Less Ordinary at Two Temple Place, which celebrates the achievements of individuals from working-class backgrounds across the UK who have had a profound impact on the city yet have been marginalised in traditional historical narratives. The exhibition challenges us to reconsider whose stories are told in the spaces we build and will be accompanied by a wide-ranging public programme—be sure to check the full schedule when planning your visit.
As January unfolds, I look forward to learning and being inspired by the themes and values that these exhibitions and events explore; it’s about the stories that are told, the voices that are amplified, and the dialogues that are created.
