Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation Announces 2018 Visionaries Gala
At this year’s Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation annual black tie gala, Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch of New York–based design studio Roman & Williams and the Hall of Architecture at the Carnegie Museum of Art will be honored for their innovative work with historical objects.
Standefer and Alesch of Roman & Williams began their creative partnership by collaborating on movie sets until Ben Stiller, who was enthralled by their work on the Duplex, hired them to do his house in Los Angeles. With Stiller as a “starter client,” other commissions soon followed for celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson. Standefer and Alesch projects have only increased in scale, from the Boom Boom Room to Facebook’s headquarters. The duo most recently caused a buzz in New York for their first retail store, Roman & Williams Guild, that showcases their creative talents in a gorgeously curated boutique.
Now, Roman & Williams are applying their talents to the Metropolitan Museum's British Art galleries, which are scheduled to open in 2019. The task requires accommodating and presenting hundreds of objects in a way that isn’t merely practical and accurate, but also compelling. It is a critical mission for all museums, which is why the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation is also honoring the Carnegie Museum of Art curators for their recent work on the collection of plaster casts in its Hall of Architecture.
It is a task the foundation experiences close to home: Sir John Soane’s Museum in central London, the house of notable 19th-century architect Sir John Soane, contains some 54,000 objects, including 30,000 artworks and 7,000 rare books.
This veritable treasure trove also includes Soane’s drawing office, the only surviving early 19th-century architectural workspace of its kind. Preserving these works and creating a unique visitor's experience is vital to the museum's success. The 2018 Visionaries Gala will raise funds to preserve the drawing office, which, once complete, will host a new residency program for artists and architects.
The black-tie affair will begin with cocktails and dinner in the Rainbow Room, followed by the awards presentation. Tickets can be purchased here.
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