Neighbours in Space and Time

A re-presentation of an exhibition first shown in Sir John Soane’s Museum.

In January 2022, the Marshall Building at 44 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London, opened its doors. Designed by Grafton Architects for the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the building sits across the square from Sir John Soane’s Museum. This exhibition focuses on the relationship between the two buildings which face each other across London’s largest garden square.

Both buildings were created as spaces for learning and debate. In the Marshall Building, certain features of Sir John Soane’s Museum and his approach to architecture are translated for the twenty-first century. The layered façade, ingenious and dramatic uses of natural light and the adoption of new technologies are common to both Soane and Grafton. Here, never-before-seen drawings by Grafton are paired with specially selected drawings from Sir John Soane’s archive to highlight these connections. They highlight a dialogue between two buildings and between architects separated by centuries, who share a craft.

The Irish Architectural Archive is grateful to Grafton Architects and Sir John Soane’s Museum for bringing this exhibition to the first floor rooms of 45 Merrion Square.