RIBA’s global architecture awards champion buildings that change the world. This year 16 exceptional projects have been awarded RIBA International Awards for Excellence 2021. These projects from 11 countries, range from large urban masterplans and infrastructure schemes, cultural centres, hospitals and memorials to private residencies.

Every now and then, our Objectivity series will showcase an object or objects that provide springboards into unexpected stories, as the best museum objects do. 

They would be spinning in their graves if they knew, but Napoleon and Wellington’s bicornes (two-cornered hats) are permanently sitting in the same glass case in a Bayonne museum. They might not have minded so much that their distinctive head gear (albeit it different editions) were temporarily brought together for an exhibition at the Musée Wellington in 2015 (see image above). But forever?

Today saw the launch of the HSBC Archives Gallery virtual tour. This gallery tells the story of HSBC’s roots and growth in Hong Kong. Visit the displays and discover some unexpected treasures from The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.

One of the world’s oldest funicular railways, the Peak Tram is just as much a tourist destination as the spot it was built to service, Hong Kong’s Victoria Peak. The Peak Tram Upgrade Project is now under way for the next six months. Winkle-picker is proud to have been involved producing the Interpretive Plan that will help inform elements of the renovation of the terminus.

For those of you who follow Torbjørn C. Pedersen, or Thor for short, on social media, you will know that Tai Kwun holds a special place in his heart. He has just posted a nice video visit to Tai Kwun in which he tells you about how to get there from Central MTR station and what to do when you’re there, including a quick look at the Visitor Centre which Winkle-picker was involved with.

Managing Director Chris White will be speaking at the Museum Exhibition Design – Histories and Futures conference on 4th September.

This virtual conference opens today on 1st September. Its aim is to consider the history and future of exhibition design in museums. While museum studies is underpinned by seminal texts attending to the poetics and politics of museum display, the agents and collaborative process of past display practices have often remained hidden ‘behind the scenes’ of the museum. Together, the papers, discussion boards and resources presented through this conference work to change this: they reframe understandings of museums and their genealogy, as well as challenge contemporary museums and exhibition makers as they plan for the future.