The V&A Dundee has opened 'Ushida Findlay: Unbroken Spaces', the first major retrospective of the late architect Kathryn Findlay, who co-founded the innovative architecture practice Ushida Findlay. The exhibition, running until 2027, brings together over 100 drawings, models, photographs, and immersive installations that chart Findlay's boundary-pushing career from the 1980s until her death in 2014.
A Radical Visionary
Kathryn Findlay, born in Scotland in 1953, was a pioneer of what she called 'soft architecture' – buildings that appeared to flow like organic forms, often using curvilinear shapes and tactile materials. Her most famous project, the Soft and Hairy House (1994) in Tokyo, featured a facade of synthetic fur and a sinuous, cave-like interior. The exhibition includes a full-scale reconstruction of part of that house, allowing visitors to experience its unusual texture and spatial quality.
According to the exhibition curator, Dr. Alice Strang, 'Findlay's work was decades ahead of its time. She rejected the rigid geometries of modernism and instead embraced fluidity, sensuality, and a deep connection to nature. Her buildings seem to breathe.'
Unbroken Spaces: The Exhibition's Core
The title 'Unbroken Spaces' refers to Findlay's concept of creating continuous, uninterrupted interior environments that blur boundaries between rooms and between inside and outside. The show is organized thematically, exploring her key ideas: fluidity, materiality, nature, and the body. Highlights include the original drawings for the Truss Wall House (1993) and the Grafton New City project (1991), which proposed a building that would grow and change over time like a living organism.
One of the most striking exhibits is a large-scale model of the 'Pleated House' (1998), where the walls appear to fold like fabric. The model is accompanied by a video showing the construction process, revealing how Findlay collaborated with engineers to realize her complex forms.
Impact and Legacy
Findlay's influence extends beyond architecture into design and art. She taught at several universities, including the Architectural Association in London and the University of Edinburgh, and her ideas have inspired a generation of younger architects working with digital fabrication and biomimicry. The exhibition also features works by contemporary practitioners who cite Findlay as an influence, such as the Japanese architect Junya Ishigami.
V&A Dundee director Leonie Bell said: 'Kathryn Findlay's work is a testament to the power of imagination. This exhibition not only celebrates her remarkable achievements but also invites visitors to see architecture as something alive, responsive, and full of emotion.'
Practical Information
'Ushida Findlay: Unbroken Spaces' is on display at V&A Dundee from 7 July 2026 to 10 January 2027. Tickets are £12 for adults, with concessions available. The museum is open daily from 10am to 5pm.
