Ordinary Takeover

Ordinary Ltd is an unorthodox architecture and design studio run by Architectural Association alumni Magnus Larsson and Alex Kaiser. Based in east London, the practice is positioned at the intersection of architecture and material science. For Ordinary Takeover, the firm relocates its creative studio to the AA Gallery and works out of the school’s premises for the duration of the show.

From the Stone Age to the Silicon Age, humanity’s relationship with the matter that makes up our environment has framed our scientific and cultural evolution. This exhibition argues that, despite recent scientific advances that open the laboratory doors to a future of material experimentation, we remain stuck in the Concrete Age – which is why Ordinary forges relationships with scientists to push architecture into the next era.

On display are Ordinary’s first forays into these unchartered territories: a plethora of conjectural schemes – such as magnetic skins, bacterial sandstone cities and buildings made from milk – which challenge the status quo and show that matters matter. Within the gallery Ordinary has built six research departments in areas ranging from synthetic biology to ceramic engineering, in which they will undertake experiments and present architectural projects. Ordinary Takeover also hosts a programme of events, talks and workshops in the gallery, plus a vast collection of contemporary material samples in collaboration with the SCIN Gallery.