


Arper, a global design brand that envisions products for the ways we live, reaffirms its commitment to culture by sponsoring and supporting the groundbreaking exhibition A Lot With Little. With its world premiere at the Venice Architecture Biennale, the exhibition will make its US premiere in Chicago this October. The multichannel film installation will be located at the MAS Context Reading Room from October 26 to January 27, 2024. A programming partner of the Chicago Architecture Biennial, MAS Context is a Chicago-based non-profit founded in 2009 that collaborates with local, national, and international contributors to create and share work about the built environment.
Curated by Noemi Blager, A Lot With Little showcases the extraordinary work of ten international architects who have responded to the climate, social, and economic crises in their communities with innovative design solutions.
With films by Tapio Snellman, the exhibition consists of a multichannel film installation showcasing ten architectural projects. Insightful interviews from the architects support the project overviews and provide context to the challenges faced in each community. The immersive experience allows viewers to grasp the design challenges and experience the feeling of inhabiting these spaces.
The participating architects include Mariam Issoufrou Kamara (Niger), Anne Lacaton and Jean Philippe Vassal (France), Mauricio Rocha (Mexico), Marina Tabassum (Bangladesh), Jan de Vylder e Inge Vinck (Belgium), Solano Benitez (Paraguay), Francis Kéré (Germany and Burkina Faso), Marta Maccaglia (Peru), Shigeru Ban (Japan), Marta Peris and Jose Toral (Spain). Their respective projects have made a positive impact on each of their communities and encompass four overarching typologies: homes, schools, transformations of existing buildings, and disaster relief.


Arper’s decision to support A Lot With Little stems from our shared values: culture, sustainability, and care towards people. These values play a central role for Arper, which aims to become an example of a responsible business by integrating sustainable development into the organization’s culture, processes and products.
“A Lot With Little is a deeply moving project; one that elicits hope and optimism through the positive impact each project has on its inhabitants and the surrounding area. With limited resources and a sustainable design approach it is remarkable to see what can be achieved. Arper is proud to support this special project that so closely aligns with our own values and vision for a beautiful world,” states Amy Storek, CEO Arper Americas.
Noemi Blager, curator, adds: “A Lot With Little presents the inspiring work of architects from both the Global North and the Global South. While the showcased projects respond to very different cultural, climatic, and socio-economic realities, they are all conceived ethically and responsibly, with the future of the planet – our home – at its core. It was important that the funding for this exhibition came from an equally responsible and ethical source, which is why I approached Arper, and I’m thrilled to have their support.”

According to Iker Gil, founder and editor in chief of MAS Context, “A Lot With Little is a remarkable exhibition that highlights ways of designing and, more importantly, practicing architecture in a responsible way. The featured architects and their projects address important global issues that we are all facing in unique ways. MAS Context is thrilled to be able to bring this exhibition to Chicago and facilitate a conversation of the relevance of this work within our local context.”
Following A Lot With Little’s Chicago debut, the installation will continue its international tour in 2024, with more cities to be announced.