Control and Choice—Sir Peter Cook on Archigram Then and Now, and Conversation with Yung Ho Chang
Join Sir Peter Cook at M+ for a special presentation on Archigram, followed by a conversation with Yung Ho Chang and Shirley Surya on architecture and design.
In the work of Archigram, architecture was about change, possibilities, and alternatives. Archigram, founded in the 1960s by Sir Peter Cook, as well as Warren Chalk, Dennis Crompton, David Greene, Ron Herron, and Michael Webb, was initially largely seen as a peripheral agitant to the architectural mainstream. The last five decades have, however, shown the broader influence and relevance of Archigram’s speculative projects. As one of the earliest to explore architecture’s engagement with transformations in urbanism, technology, and popular culture, and to address the rise of the user-consumer in a globally interconnected and hypermediated world, Archigram left an indelible mark on how architectural practice is understood in relation to society. This is evident in the work of generations of practitioners both within and outside architecture.
In November 2020, to mark the Archigram Archive’s entry into the M+ Collections, M+ organised ‘Archigram Cities’ involving Archigram members, architects, and scholars to expand readings of Archigram’s practice with transnational and cross-disciplinary perspectives.
In December 2025, we are pleased to have Sir Peter Cook situate the beginnings of Archigram in 1960s Britain. What were the forces and phenomenon within and outside the discipline of architecture that motivated the conception of Archigram and its activities across publishing, teaching, and exhibition-making? What were the means and methods Archigram undertook to disseminate their ethos and design propositions, and to what effect? What were the ideas behind some of the key works—including Plug-In City (1964), Blow-Out Village (1964), Control and Choice (1966-1967), and Instant City (1968)—designed by Sir Peter Cook as part of Archigram? How do these works inspire yet challenge architects and how the field of architecture responds to societal developments then, and today?
The presentation will be followed by a conversation between Sir Peter Cook and Yung Ho Chang (Dean, Faculty of Architecture, University of Hong Kong), moderated by Shirley Surya (Curator, Design and Architecture, M+). The dialogue will explore the relevance of Archigram’s work on recent generations of architects, architectural education, and wider cultural production. Both speakers will also reflect on their common roles in design practice, publishing, exhibiting, and teaching, alongside how their involvement across these spheres shaped their approach and aspiration for what architecture could be.
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