Press Release: Top 20 places to visit during the 2022 London Open House Festival
The world’s largest celebration of special buildings and neighbourhoods, Open House Festival, launches today with a fortnight-long programme of tours, free events and publications exploring London’s housing, architecture and landscapes.
Here are our 20 top highlights from the 2022 Open House Festival programme which members of the public can visit for free during the festival fortnight.
A House For Artists
This striking new block of affordable housing for specifically for artists is in Barking Town Centre and is open for free public visits on Saturday 17
The Tin Tabernacle
Built 1863, a large corrugated iron chapel. The inside has been completely transformed into a mock battleship by local sailors.
New City Hall
The new headquarters for the Mayor of London located in the Royal Docks in Newham. City Hall is open on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11
The Design District
A remarkable cluster of new studios and workplaces designed by some of today's most compelling architects in North Greenwich. Multiple buildings around the Design District will be open during the closing weekend of the Open House Festival.
Foster + Partners
Perhaps the world’s most famous living architect is Norman Foster whose practice has been based on the banks of the Thames in Battersea since 1990. The acclaimed architecture firm will be hosting an open studio on the 17th and 18th of September.
Forty Hall Vineyard
Escape to the North London countryside and see London's only commercial scale vineyard which is featured in new book London Feeds Itself. Visitors on Sunday 11 September can also enjoy the farmers' market and short guided walks.
London Scottish House
The London Scottish Regiment was founded in 1859, drawn from the Scottish diaspora in London. Their historic triple height hall with its restored wrought iron balconies and roofing is open for public visits during the first weekend of the Open House Festival.
Sands End Community Centre
Mæ Architects’ Sands End Arts and Community Centre in Fulham caters to a wide range of users, providing a cafe alongside spaces for social and educational functions, clubs and events.
Hermitage Community Moorings
A small wharf of historic residential boats right on the Thames. The unique Pier House provides a floating community centre just downstream from Tower Bridge.
The National Youth Theatre
Building in Summer 2021, the new National Youth Theatre was designed by architects DSDHA in collaboration with children and young people. It is open for members of the public to visit on the 19th, 20th and 21st of September
Fog House
Broadcaster and presenter Janet Street-Porter commissioned this David Adjaye-designed house in Clerkenwell. The space had been a leather tanning factory, partly modernised and used as a studio by the artist Marc Quinn. As part of Street-Porter's commission, Adjaye added a glass top floor and rear extension, making it a house on five levels; the top floor has a spectacular view over the churchyard which Street-Porter said almost "made all the misery of the building process" worth it.
Brixton Recreation Centre
Brixton Recreation Centre is one of the earliest to combine sports and leisure facilities with urban amenities. It has become the social centre for the community and much-valued in the locality. The Rec is seen as a place for everyone.
The Tree House
The Tree House is a new pavilion commissioned by Lendlease. It contains a kiosk, public WCs, a viewing terrace, and a multifunctional public space. The building is focused on embracing nature and merging with the mature existing landscape.
Brick Lane Mosque
Built in 1743 by French Huguenots fleeing persecution in France, it has been re-used by successive waves of immigrant communities. After the Huguenots it became a Methodist chapel, then a synagogue, then since 1976 a mosque.
Golden Lane Estate
One of Britain’s best council estates, Golden Lane was commissioned by the City of London and designed by Chamberlin Powell and Bon who went on to design the Barbican and Vanbrugh Park Estate in Greenwich. Tours of the estate, allotments and community centre.
"Chinese" Garage
Beckenham Grade II listed motor garage and petrol station built in the style of a pagoda in 1928. Now a Tesco Express. Selected by Open House Festival guest curator Janet Street-Porter
House of Annetta
Built in the early 18th century, 25 Princelet is a five storey, double-fronted house and the first on this street, originally accommodating the Huguenot silk weavers businesses to multiple families living in each room on each floor.
DSDHA Studios
A conversion by Architecture first DSDHA of a Victorian perfume works, with retained industrial features and new light fittings and furniture designed by the practice, all set within an oasis-like urban yard that also houses their model shop.
One Canada Square
The pyramid-topped central tower of Canary Wharf, an icon of the East London skyline. Limited tickets are available for guided tours on the 17th of September.
Africa Centre
A 1960s former office block that has been transformed into a vibrant cultural hub showcasing the best of contemporary African culture and heritage by architects, Freehaus.
Quotes
Zoë Cave, chief curator of the Open House Festival said:
‘To mark the 30th anniversary of the Open House Festival we’ve curated our most dynamic and diverse programme to date. I’m especially excited about the many private homes that will be part of the 30th anniversary festival from multi-million pound houses designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects to some of Britain's best council estates. We’re going to have an amazing two weeks celebrating London’s urban landscapes, heritage and communities – come join us.’
Notes
Founded in 1992, the Open House Festival has grown from featuring up a handful of free building tours over a single weekend, to a giant city-wide celebration of architecture, communities and built heritage across all 33 London boroughs. Over its three decade history, the Open House Festival has helped set up sister festivals across the world from New York City to Lagos. There are now over 50 Open House Festivals worldwide which together attract around 750,000 visitors a year.
The 2022 Open House Festival will launch on Thursday 8 September and close on Wednesday 21 September.
In a typical year the London Open House Festival attracts 250,000 visitors making it the largest and most inclusive event of its kind in the world.
The website for the Open House Festival is www.openhouse.org.uk
Contacts
Please contact press@open-city.org.uk with press enquiries.