For the second time in a few weeks I have found myself visiting a disappointingly undersized architecture exhibition.

Last weekend I went visited the Royal Academy for the Four Visions for the Future of Housing exhibition, part of the RAs Future of Housing season. Open until May 17th, this exhibition occupies The Architecture Space at the Royal Academy’s Burlington House presenting four large boards with conceptual visions of the future, by four different Architects; Sarah Wigglesworth Architect, Mæ Architects, Dallas Pierce Quintero and 5th Studio.

Fascinating in itself is how very different approaches these practices took to the question, looking at alternative strategies for buying homes, custom-build house, re-inventing lost, rural towns, and looking for inspiration for an ageing population. Each concept is delivered in a unique format to the others, and all provide some exciting ideas. I particularly enjoyed Maes

Unfortunately, The Architecture Space is a single, tiny room. In fact, ‘room’, is pushing it. It is really a ramped hallway between between circulation spaces. “Behind the stairs and turn left and it’s just…sort of…there”, was the receptionist’s directions for finding this space, after the first person I asked gave me that pitying “you’ve come to the wrong place, mate”, frown.

There is still one talk left in this related ‘The Future of Housing’ season, with the fantastic Sarah Wigglesworth. I would suggest this would be a good opportunity to visit this exhibition, as you won’t need too long to see it.

I guess it’s reasonably appropriate that an exhibition addressing the housing crisis – an issue due in part to lack of available land – should be squeezed into some nook or cranny, like the last remaining sock shoved into an over-packed suitcase. But this isn’t exactly a small building; is this really all the space available? There was lounge-like room next door with cosy leather armchairs that didn’t look particularly crammed. If you’re going to make full use of circulation space then why not use more?

The same question came to mind yesterday when I saw the Barbican’s display for the work of Chamberlin, Powell and Bon; it’s own Architects. I suppose I should really have looked the event up, because the website really does tell you that this exhibition is presented in the foyer, and is a look at photographs taken by the building’s architects, rather than a study of their architectural work. But still, this building is enormous! If we are going to insist, again, on accommodating these displays in circulation space rather than dedicated exhibition destinations, then why not sprawl out further throughout the endless walkways that this fantastic brutalist building has to offer. Not just a few cases of photographs over in one corner.

This is not to say that the display is bad. The photographs are certainly attractive and showcase the Architects’ interest in travel and the study of architecture, whilst a display of Chamberlins drawing tools serves as a quaint reminder of the craft-work involved in putting together and architectural drawing before Cad came along.

Also on display until May 17th, the website tells us that this is just the “first display in a series exploring the architecture and design of the Barbican”, but providing such a tiny exhibition to celebrate the building’s Architects in a tiny area that is dwarfed by the space created by the very same Architects just seems embarrassing. I hope that the future displays make the most of the Barbican’s gargantuan public spaces.

I wouldn’t suggest that this is something you would go far out of your way to see, like I did, but there are always interesting events on at the Barbican, so this should be a little reason to get to your next show a little early, just to have a little browse.