Presented at Palmer Gallery, Cardboard House is a contemporary exhibition that pays tribute to the late Sir Terry Farrell, one of the defining figures of postmodern architecture. Known for landmark projects such as the Old Areoworks building in Lisson Grove where he once lived and worked and the MI6 headquarters in Vauxhall, Farrell’s legacy forms the conceptual foundation of this show.

Bringing together works by Levi De Jong, Ali Glover, Zayd Menk, and Zachary Merle, the exhibition explores the intersection of architecture and contemporary art. Each artist engages with spatial thinking, material systems, and the cultural language of infrastructure, reflecting the experimental and counter-cultural energy that defined Farrell’s work.

The title Cardboard House draws from Farrell’s belief that even the most fragile structure could endure if people were committed to maintaining it. This idea shifts the focus from material permanence to collective care, suggesting that architecture is not fixed, but continuously shaped by use, adaptation, and shared responsibility. It also echoes a playful, almost childlike approach to making where creativity remains open-ended, provisional, and constantly evolving.

This philosophy is embodied in the very building that hosts the exhibition. Once an industrial site producing tyres for military aircraft, the structure has transformed over time into a mixed-use space and now a contemporary gallery demonstrating a layered, adaptive approach to architecture that aligns with Farrell’s vision.

Across a range of media—from kinetic sculpture and site-specific installations to archival image processes and industrial abstraction the artists examine how we inhabit and interpret space. Their works invite viewers to reconsider the everyday environments they move through, revealing the poetic and structural dimensions of the built world.

Opening alongside the launch of Lisson Grove Galleries, Cardboard House marks a moment of renewed attention to place. It reflects on how art and architecture intersect not only in iconic landmarks, but within the ordinary spaces of daily life while acknowledging Farrell’s lasting influence on Lisson Grove and the broader cultural landscape.

all images © the gallery and the artist(s)