Londonon

hello@londonon.global
Twitter

Londonon

is a rolling research and residency programme in cities around the globe, run by collaborating London based architecture practices.

We pool resources, question, collaborate, make and experience — to broaden our minds, expand our reach and widen our world view.

Read our open letter.

An open letter to architects and other creatives

Following the prime minister’s triggering of Article 50, today we officially launch Londonon and an open call for interest from London based architects and creatives as a direct response to the government’s challenge to explore global opportunity.

It is undeniable that we are at a critical juncture in international politics, cultural identity and urban development. However, as creatives based in one of the most intense and thriving international cities, we are in a unique position. We can, and must, look outward to learn from others and share our own stories as well.

Londonon is a rolling research and residency programme in cities around the globe run by collaborating London-based architects and creatives. We pool resources, question, collaborate, make and experience, to broaden our minds, expand our reach and widen our worldview.

Londonon is conceived as a filter for ambitious, small to medium-sized creative practices, through a non-profit organisational structure. We desire to learn about our host city, our own conditions in London, and ourselves in a global situation.

The programme will follow the outlined Brexit timetable, starting with a period of planning and research, followed by a recurring three-month placement for select individuals from involved organisations. Team members will work alongside local practices, cultural and education bodies, government agencies and other invested stakeholders to respond to shared urban challenges. At the end of 24 months, when Ms May’s negotiation period expires, we will host an exhibition of our findings.

Londonon was soft launched at the Department of International Trade pavilion at MIPIM 2017 by way of a roundtable debate with representatives of the Londonon programme along with industry representatives from the architectural profession, the UK Department of International Trade and members of the UK press. We are now inviting likeminded professionals to take back control of our own aspirations, ambitions and ultimately creative processes.

Londonon is set to express our capital’s strengths. We are adaptive, light footed, rich, intensive, open minded, understanding, welcoming. Most importantly, we will express the optimistic entrepreneurial spirit this city reinforces in each of us.

Come and join our conversation.

— Londonon

In February 2019 representatives of the Londonon collective travelled to Paris with the aim to question humanity’s relationship with food. Our contribution to the Library of the 2019 Oslo Architecture Triennale studies the impact that the lifecycle of food has on the shaping of our culture, geography and the urban grain of cities worldwide. Read more

We have used Paris as a paradigmatic case study of a city with a unique role in world gastronomy that has food engrained at the very core of its being. The ambition of our study was to exhibit a forensic under- standing of food production, distribution, preparation, consumption and waste by displaying the mapping of our own shared experience of the ‘Parisian Dinner Table’ through mixed media.

‘Degrowth Degustation’ is a journal, in the form of an anthology of articles written by various participants of the Londonon journey. The journal outlines the narrative of our growing understanding the 2019 Oslo Architecture Triennale theme ’degrowth’ - through food.

Inspired by the visionary attitude which Marinetti attempted to express in his ‘Futurist Cookbook’ (1931) , ‘Degrowth Dégustation’ challenges the food processes we take for granted by presenting facts, statistics, anecdotes and stories discovered throughout our Paris expedition and further explored in our London home.

The collaborative aspect of our recipe book is an invitation to celebrate the conviviality inherent in the sharing of food and that stem from food and our fundamental need to eat.

Read our statement on degrowth here

interest@londonon.global