We explored parts of the new exhibition “The Way We Live” last night at the launch event in The Box Plymouth #BestOfPlymouth
As Plymouth embarks on a defining new era of regeneration and growth, The Box has launched a major, thought provoking new exhibition exploring housing, identity, safety, and community.
There’s a look at the history of Planner Patrick Abercrombie and Plymouth City Engineer and Surveyor James Paton Watson’s ‘A Plan for Plymouth’ (1943) which outlined ambitious ideas for the rebuilding of the city, while Jill Craigie’s film ‘The Way We Live’ (1946), being shown in the Media Lab, shows what post war family life looked like, by taking a radical approach at the time, of engaging local residents rather than professional actors to ask questions about how people wanted to live.
‘The Way We Live’ connects deeply with our city’s ongoing conversations around urban spaces and architecture. Alongside powerful national and international artworks featuring pieces by renowned contemporary artists like Do Ho Suh’s installation of a life-size fabric reconstruction of part of their apartment (lots of fine detail and check the pipe work under the stairs!) and Rachel Whiteread, the exhibition cleverly weaves in rich archival collections to examine how our living environments shape our lives, especially against the backdrop of today’s housing challenges.
Exhibition Highlights:
- World class contemporary installations, sculptures, and paintings
- Unique local archival collections exploring housing and architecture in Plymouth
- Perspectives on domestic life, safety, and belonging from leading artists
Dates: 24 Oct 2026 – 21 Feb 2027
Location: The Box, Tavistock Place, Plymouth
Free Admission, although prebooking essential for your desired time slot.
