30 Objects in 30 Days (2021)

What ‘object’ best represents care and architecture for you?

For the second edition of LFA’s 30 Objects in 30 Days, we asked 30 key figures in the industry to nominate an ‘object’ that they feel best represents this year’s festival theme of ‘care’ and ‘architecture’ and share a video explaining why. Here you can explore all 30 videos.

From a masterplan or building, to a concept or tool, to an idea or invention, the nominated ‘object’ could range in scale and scope. The only condition is that it had to relate in some way to the theme of care and architecture.

Day 1 – Projects Office: The Table

Projects Office is a multi-disciplinary architecture and design studio, whose ethos is fantastic pragmatism: we think laterally, solve problems imaginatively, and take fun seriously.

Day 2 – Betty Owoo: Urban Good’s National Park City Map of London

For her selection, Betty selected Urban Good's National Park City Map of London. Betty Owoo is a London based spatial designer and co-chair of the Architecture Foundation Young Trustees, with an interest in urban landscapes and ecology in the city.

Day 3 – Steve McCloy: Comics

For his selection Steve selected comics. Steve McCloy is an architect and one half of emerging studio McCloy + Muchemwa. He is also the co-author of a new book 'Once Upon a China' (2021) with Professor CJ Lim.

Day 4 – Fiona MacDonald: Face Mask

For her selection Fiona selected the humble Face Mask. Fiona MacDonald is the Head of Learning at the Design Museum and co-founder of architecture education organisation, MATT+FIONA, with architect, Matthew Springett.

Day 5 – Tszwai So: Sketchbooks

For his selection Tszwai selected sketchbooks. Tszwai So is the co-founder of Spheron Architcets and columnist of RIBA Journal

Day 6 – Phil Graham: Memorial plaques

For his selection Phil selected Memorial plaques. Phil Graham is the Executive Director for Good Growth at Greater London Authority (GLA).

Day 7 – Farouk Agoro: Houseplants

For his selection Farouk selected houseplants. Farouk Agoro is an Architect / Artist / Collaborator.

Day 8 – Maria McLintock: Walworth Community Garden

For her selection Maria selected Walworth Community Garden. Maria McLintock is a curator, educator and writer of architecture and design.

Day 9 – ACAN: Jazz Hands Signal

For their selection ACAN selected the Jazz Hands Action. ACAN is a network of individuals within architecture and related built environment professions taking action to address the twin crises of climate and ecological breakdown. Sam Turner, Movement Support Coordinator on the ACAN Steering Group.

Day 10 – Zoë Berman: Franklin Collins electronic spellchecker

For her selection Zoë selected the Franklin Collins electronic spellchecker. Zoë Berman is an Architect and Director of Studio Berman and Founder of Part W.

Day 11 – Takeshi Hayatsu: Animals on buildings

For his selection Takeshi selected animals on buildings. Takeshi Hayatsu is the founding director of Hayatsu Architects and lecturer at Kingston University.

Day 12 – Amy Till: The Tree

For her selection Amy selected the tree. Amy Till is Programme Director at NLA.

Day 13 – John Bushell: Air-quality monitor

For his selection John selected the air-quality monitor. John Bushell is Design Principal at Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF)

Day 14 – Dr Lo Marshall: The Toilet

For their selection Dr Lo selected the toilet. Dr Lo Marshall is a Research Fellow at the Bartlett School of Architecture and UCL Urban Laboratory where they research gender, sexuality and cities.

Day 15 – Nacho O’Leary: Brick

For his selection Nacho selected the brick, as seen on Battersea Power Station. Nacho O’Leary is the Office Delivery Director for Battersea Power Station Development Company Limited. Over the past eight years, Nacho has played a key role in the transformation and restoration of the Grade II* listed Power Station, leading elements including the brick replacement programme and the reconstruction of the building’s four iconic chimneys. He is currently in charge of delivering over 500,000 sq ft of office space inside the Power Station including Apple’s new London campus.

Day 16 – Shahed Saleem: Roman Road (E3)

For his selection Shahed selected Roman Road (E3). Shahed Saleem is an architect, writer and studio tutor at the University of Westminster. He is co-curator of the V&A Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2021.

Day 17 – Marie Bak Mortense: Seaweed roofs, Isle of Læsø

For her selection Marie selected seaweed roofs on the Isle of Læsø. Marie Bak Mortensen is the Head of Exhibitions at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), where she leads on all public-facing exhibitions, installations, talks and events.

Day 18 – Delve: Cup of Tea

For their selection Edward and Alex selected the cup of tea. Edward Martin and Alex Raher are co-founders of architecture & design practice Delve.

Day 19 – Victoria Evans: The trainer

For her selection Victoria selected the humble trainer.. Victoria Evans is a Director in EY’s Local Public Services team.

Day 20 – Jon Wright: Architects Co-Partnership Cathedral School

For his selection Jon selected the Architects Co-Partnership Cathedral School. Jon Wright is the Twentieth Century Heritage Consultant for Purcell, specialising in the history and conservation of modern buildings; an architectural historian by training.

Day 21 – Chris Laing: The Inclusive Design Guidebook

For his selection Chris selected the Inclusive Design Guidebook. Chris Laing is the Founder of Signstrokes and will be establishing Deaf Architecture Front. He is keen to facilitate engagement between the Deaf community and the spatial and architecture practice industry - hoping to see greater opportunities for the field of architecture to benefit from Deaf peoples’ perspective in the near future.

Day 22 – Pedro Gil: Toys

For his selection Pedro selected toys. Pedro Gil is the founder and director of Studio Gil, a critically acclaimed architects practice who work on housing and public projects with an interest in championing underrepresented groups. He is a Senior Teaching Fellow at The Bartlett School of Architecture UCL, and a member of the Mayor of London's Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm.

Day 23 – REDD Collective: Hacking Hackney

For their selection REDD Collective selected their festival project Hacking Hackney.. REDD Collective is a disruptive design collective made up of seven designers; they work at the multiscalar level at the intersections of spatial and social justice.

Day 24 – Barbara Chesi: Playgrounds 24 June 2021

For her selection Barbara selected playgrounds. Barbara Chesi is Programme Director at New London Architecture, where she oversees the content and curation of the New London Programme, including talks, conferences, walking tours, exhibitions and research.

Day 25 – Cave_bureau: Worked Obsidian Stone

For their selection Kabage and Stella selected Worked Obsidian Stone. Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutega are founders and directors of Cave_bureau, a Nairobi based bureau of architects and researchers charting explorations into architecture and urbanism within nature.

Day 26 – Laura Mark: The Bench

For her selection Laura selected the bench. Laura Mark is an architectural writer, lecturer and filmmaker. She is also Keeper of Walmer Yard in London.

Day 27 – Michael Hayes: Private amenity space

For his selection Michael selected Private amenity space. Michael K. Hayes is the editor of Architecture Ireland, the journal of the RIAI and Community Manager for the Ireland Architecture Diary.

Day 28 – Federico Ortiz: Drinking Water Fountains

For his selection Federico selected Drinking Water Fountains. Federico Ortiz is a curator and architect with a passion for public spaces for all. He is currently a programme manager at New London Architecture and a visiting lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire.

Day 29 – Ludwig Willis: The Moon

For her selection Anna selected the moon. Anna Ludwig is the co-founder of Ludwig Willis Architects, a practice committed to the thoughtful making of imaginative places where people can come together.

Day 30 – André Holmqvist: St Dunstan in the East

For his selection André selected St Dunstan in the East. André Holmqvist is the Programme Manager at London Festival of Architecture.