13 2016 RocaGallery ‘Childhood ReCollections’: Howthechildhoodof architectsand designers hasinfluenced their works The exhibition shows memories of the architects Zaha Hadid and Daniel Libeskind, among others Morethantheiryearsofstudyingandyouth,thechildhood ofdesignersandarchitectshasinfluencedtheirwayof thinkingandworking.Thisisshowninthenewexhibition of theRocaLondon Gallery‘Childhood ReCollections’, organised in collaboration with the writer Clare Farrow, who has interviewed six prominent architects and designers abouttheperceptions,eventsandsensationsexperienced in theirchildhood that have moulded the way they see life andtheirworks. The exhibition includesthememories of Zaha Hadid, ThewriterClareFarrow(inthecentreofthepicture) InaugurationoftheexhibitionattheRocaLondonGallery. KengoKuma,DanielLibeskind,DeniseScottBrown, togetherwithFuensantaNietoandEnriqueSobejano. NietoSobejanoandPhilipTreacyinmodernchestsof curiosities,wherethevisitorcandiscoverphotos,texts, Kuma,orthemodernistdreamsofthecosmopolitan InthewordsofthearchitectDanielLibeskind,‘Childhood objects,materials,smells,videos,musicandsketchesBaghdadof 1957 and thefurniture-makingstudio that ReCollections’ is“afantasticprojectbecauseofthe thatputthecontemporarydesignsofeachofthemin inspiredZahaHadidwhenshewas7yearsold,these interestingconnectionitestablishesbetweenideas context. beingjustsomeofthestoriesandcuriositiesshownin ofpeoplefromdifferent countries,rofmthpttohteeas Inthesechestsareimagesofthebirdsthatinspired theexhibition. future”. AfascinatingexhibitionheldattheRocaLondon PhilipTreacy, intheIrishcountrysidewherehespent Theexhibitionrevealssomeinterestingpatternsinthe Galleryuntil23January2016andwhichwilltraveltothe hischildhood;theredaccordionthatgavecolourand creativeworkoftheseprominentprofessionals,suchas RocaBarcelonaGalleryinSeptember2016. musictothegreychildhoodofDanielLibeskind, inpost- theinfluenceofhistoryintheircreationsortheimportance warPoland;theclaywallofthefamilyhomeofKengo ofnatureandmusicfromtheirchildhood. Meetings with the protagonists Aspartofthe‘ChildhoodReCollections’exhibition,the RocaLondonGalleryorganisedseveraleventswith itsprotagonists. Inthem,theSpanisharchitectNieto Sobejanotookpart,amongothers,toexplainhowhis memories have shaped his work. In another gathering organisedincollaborationwiththeSirJohnSoane Museum,DanielLibeskindsharedwiththeattendeesto whatextentmemoryhasplayedorplaysanimportantrole inhisworkandhowhischildhoodexperiences,inpost-war PolandandinNewYork,haveshapedhisvisionofdesign. ThearchitecturehistorianGillianDarleyalsotookpartin thistalk,whichwasattendedbyalargenumberofpeople. 15