Talking Buildings: A Celebration of Richard Rogers at Sir John Soane’s Museum

Celebrating the legacy of Richard Rogers and his visionary approach to architecture, a new exhibition titled Talking Buildings has opened at one of London’s oldest and most fascinating museums, Sir John Soane’s Museum.

From 18 June -21 September 2025, explore the UK’s first retrospective survey of Richard Rogers’ life and work since his death in 2021. The exhibition, designed and curated by Richard’s son, Ab, offers insight into eight of his father’s favourite projects from 1967 to 2020: including the Zip-Up House, the Centre Pompidou and the Millennium Dome.

It is accompanied by a specially commissioned installation in the Foyle Space called RSHP Architects in Dialogue. Handcrafted by the RSHP modelshop team, it showcases a new 1:1250-scale London City model, highlighting some of RSHP's landmark projects, including Lloyd’s of London and The Leadenhall Building. Also featured is a film called Uncommon Thinking which explores the practice's design ethos and features some of its past, present and future global projects.

Designed by renowned architect Sir John Soane, the museum is filled with his world-class collection of paintings, sculpture, artefacts and models, and retains the same fabric and design as at the time of Soane’s death in 1837. Within this historic setting, the Talking Buildings exhibition creates a compelling dialogue between two architects who defined their work through innovation and civic-minded design.

John McElgunn, Senior Director at RSHP: 
“Richard and his partners were radical, visionary, and above all, humanists. They developed a distinctive architectural approach and a social vision for the practice. Their work extended far beyond the act of designing individual buildings as they envisioned the city as a whole, grounded in the belief that architecture has a broader social responsibility. Those principles continue to evolve and guide us at RSHP today.”

Will Gompertz, Director – Sir John Soane’s Museum:
"Both architects were ahead of their time in their ethos and their approach to the built environment and our experience of it. Rogers conceived of public space as an essential concern, and his work had a major impact on London and the way people engage with the city, as shown throughout the exhibition. Soane had plans to remodel London as a grand ceremonial capital, and although these were never executed, they reveal ambition on a similar scale."

Take a closer look: Richard Rogers: Talking Buildings | Sir John Soane's Museum