Here’s what Open City has done during the pandemic with your help

In the face of Covid-19, funding cuts and cancelled events, we made a choice – to not wind down our work but to do more than ever, finding new and innovative ways to keep a vital sense of openness alive as the UK went into lockdown .

Against these odds, we chose not to go into hibernation, scale-back or postpone but to invest in completely reinventing how we approach our programme. Through a mix of original films, new books, mail-order activity packs, walking and cycling tours, podcasts, talks, and a host of online and outdoor events, the year that threatened the existence of Open House Festival became one of our most varied and accessible ever. The festival week may have ended, but almost all of the activities, books, videos and tours below can be enjoyed year-round – and there’s more on the way.

None of this would have been possible without our supporters, volunteers, collaborators and our Open House Friends. Here’s what we’ve done during the pandemic with your support. Thank you.

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A week-long Open House festival of tours, talks and more

By introducing social distancing and measures to keep visitors safe, we were still able to hold Open House 2020 - a week-long festival that blended in-person and virtual events.

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Relaunched Accelerate - the only architecture course for teenagers from under-represented backgrounds

Every year, our pioneering Accelerate programme provides 30-40 sixth form students from across London with a series of skills workshops, one-to-one mentoring and in-depth guidance on university applications. View the 2019/20 cohort’s online exhibition here.

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31 new films opening up buildings and landscapes across the city

With many buildings and locations unable to open their doors to the public due to the pandemic, we took the opportunity to bring them to more people than ever through a new series of commissioned films. From manor houses and embassies to lidos and dinosaur sculptures, each film is presented by experts who live and work in the buildings, recreating the behind-the-scenes feel of an Open House visit.

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A new year-round tours programme

A range of new socially-distanced and cycling tours running through the year explore London’s urban landscape, from pubs and landscapes to forgotten histories.

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The Alternative Guide to the London Boroughs – a print version of the Open House festival

In the light of pandemic, we radically rethought the role of the annual Open House book.

Instead of a guide to the locations featured in the Open House Festival, The Alternative Guide to the London Boroughs, edited by Owen Hatherley, is a collection of 33 essays looking at London’s 33 boroughs.

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16 cardboard model kits of London icons to make at home

For those unable to get out and about this year, we created a series of cardboard models to bring the skyline to you, featuring some of the biggest highlights from Open House over they years.

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Grappling with the challenges London faces after Covid-19 and beyond, the new Open City Podcast is an exploration of London’s past, present and future through a variety of perspectives and stories about the city.

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In collaboration with Celebrating Architecture, we have created a huge range of design-based activities for both home learning and teachers.

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Our new self-guided tours allow you to discover the city in your own time, all year round.

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