Between Rock and a Hard Place was an event held in London by The Architecture Foundation as part of POST PRESS on 22nd July 2026.
Hosted in a temporary venue space at the Zaha Hadid Foundation, contributions were made by Pete Mercer (STAT), Ash Hardman (SHOP, Preston), Ecaterina Stefanescu and Nyima Murry (Other People’s Dreams), and Lee Ivett (LSA).
Coverage of the event series can be found in the Architect’s Journal.
Event Description
POST PRESS
WEEK 6 of 8
FIELD TRIP
20-26 JUL 2026
Between Rock and a Hard Place is an event presented by Other People’s Dreams that explores how the people, places and communities that shape regional spatial practice are documented, represented and shared through alternative forms of publishing and cultural production.
Bringing together zine-making, photography, writing, conversation and exhibition, the event examines the role that independent media and grassroots cultural activity play in shaping contemporary architectural and spatial discourse beyond the UK’s major urban centres.
Part zine fair, part exhibition, part reading and part public conversation, the event brings together contributors whose work is rooted in the North West and committed to amplifying overlooked stories, voices and places. Featuring contributions from STAT Magazine, Ash Hardman, SHOP Preston, and Other People’s Dreams, the event will showcase a diverse range of printed matter, photographic work, texts and research that engage directly with the realities of regional life and practice.
The event seeks to challenge dominant narratives that position cultural innovation as something concentrated elsewhere and asks what conditions are needed for a progressive and contemporary culture of spatial production to emerge outside the gravitational pull of larger cities. Instead, it highlights regional towns and communities as vital sites of inquiry, experimentation and impact for emerging practitioners.
Photographic Evidence (credit: Matthew Blunderfield)
Social Media Evidence
Peter Mercer 