Plain space: inside John Pawson's gracefully reductivist world

White hallway with low level lighting
A model of St Moritz Church, Augsburg, Germany is on show as part of the 'John Pawson - Plain Space' exhibition at The Design Museum in London.
(Image credit: Gilbert McCarragher)

British architect John Pawson's name has been synonymous with quiet, chic minimalism ever since his celebrated career kicked off in the early 1980s.

Marking a busy and successful year for the architect - his new Design Museum space commission at the former Commonwealth Institute building was only announced a few months ago - the Design Museum exhibition, 'John Pawson - Plain Space' opens today and promises to offer the visitor the full Pawson experience. Not only has the museum's third floor exhibition space been transformed into a calm room of minimal white boards and simple wood pedestals, but a life-size model of a site-specific installation has been constructed at the show's heart, allowing design-lovers to fully immerse themselves in Pawson's gracefully reductivist world.

From his landmark works, like Our Lady of Novy Dvur and the Baron House, to his numerous ongoing projects, such as the house and chapel for the Casa delle Bottere complex in Veneto, Italy (presented in Wallpaper*139)), as well as a thumbnail-style full project list, everything is included in this detailed display.

Long-term Pawson collaborator, Danish wood company Dinesen, has added its elegant touch to the show's final result; all the wood used in it has been sourced from the company's rich product selection. Dinesen first collaborated with Pawson almost 20 years ago on his own house - their shared passion for perfection and beauty meant that the architect was the first to use Dinesen to create furniture and special architectural fittings, and he has since worked with them on many commissions, carefully selecting his raw wood materials with them.

For those who won't be able to make it to the Design Museum in London (the show ends on 30 January 2011), a well-informed publication by Phaidon - written by Alison Morris - is out now, presenting Pawson's 'Plain Space' architecture.

Old Town Apartment, Ghent


(Image credit: Pieter-Jan de Pue)

Exterior model of the private chapel at Casa delle Bottere in Veneto


(Image credit: press)

Interior model of the chapel

Interior model of the chapel, Casa delle Bottere

(Image credit: press)

The exhibition's site-specific life-size installation was constructed with Dinesen wood

The exhibition's site-specific life-size installation was constructed with Dinesen wood

(Image credit: Gilbert McCarragher)

The site-specific reconstruction offers a space for reflection within the exhibition's heart

The site-specific reconstruction offers a space for reflection within the exhibition's heart

(Image credit: Gilbert McCarragher)

A model study for the house at Casa delle Bottere

A model study for the house at Casa delle Bottere

(Image credit: press)

A study of surfaces for the Casa delle Bottere's exterior

A study of surfaces for the Casa delle Bottere's exterior

(Image credit: press)

The Casa delle Bottere house model, shown here in its context

The Casa delle Bottere house model, shown here in its context

(Image credit: press)

House model of the Casa delle Bottere, revealing its spartan and beautiful interior

House model of the Casa delle Bottere, revealing its spartan and beautiful interior

(Image credit: press)

At the opening of the exhibition, the life-size installation attracted a crowd

At the opening of the exhibition, the life-size installation attracted a crowd.

(Image credit: Katrin Greiling)

One wall of the installation at the exhibition is semi-transparent

One wall of the installation at the exhibition is semi-transparent, allowing visitors to be seen through the show's entrance

(Image credit: Katrin Greiling)

Visitors enter the installation through a door at the back of the show

Visitors enter the installation through a door at the back of the show.

(Image credit: Katrin Greiling)

Plain Space is published by Phaidon and written by Alison Morris

Plain Space is published by Phaidon and written by Alison Morris

(Image credit: press)

The exhibition offers a detailed documentation of Pawson's work since the 1980s

The exhibition offers a detailed documentation of Pawson's work since the 1980s

(Image credit: Luke Hayes)

Large photographic prints present Pawson's recent work

Large photographic prints present Pawson's recent work

(Image credit: Luke Hayes)

On the table: some of Pawson's work through the ages

On the table: some of Pawson's work through the ages.

(Image credit: Luke Hayes)

The exhibition allows a glimpse into Pawson's work, ranging from project models and design products to photographs and sketches

The exhibition allows a glimpse into Pawson's work, ranging from project models and design products to photographs and sketches.s

(Image credit: Luke Hayes)

A photographic index of Pawson's work is complemented by models of ongoing work

A photographic index of Pawson's work is complemented by models of ongoing work.

(Image credit: Luke Hayes)

A visitor to the show's installation - which is made fully from Dinesen wood

A moment of quiet: a visitor to the show's installation - which is made fully from Dinesen wood - enjoys the serenity of the environment.

(Image credit: Luke Hayes)

John Pawson and CEO Thomas Dinesen pick the right wood at The Black Forest

John Pawson and CEO Thomas Dinesen pick the right wood at The Black Forest

(Image credit: press)

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Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).