Charter for Open and Equitable Urban Tours

We believe a great city or town is a place in which all citizens – old or young, expert or amateur, richer or poorer – are free to explore, learn about and discuss the spaces, places and built heritage of their communities. We think great towns and cities are for everyone, enriched by many and varied communities who share music, food, culture, ideas, architecture, public spaces and civic life learning from each other in a spirit of openness and mutual curiosity. It is this mixing mediated by an accessible and well-designed urban realm that makes cities such valuable and dynamic places to live, work and play.

As creators of urban and architectural tours we support members of the public to learn about their cities by exploring the streets, estates and neighbourhoods which make them special. Whether led by expert guides or printed in pamphlets or books, tours are some of the most engaging ways to experience and understand the architecture, urbanism and wider culture of cites. Tours are particularly important for citizens from underrepresented communities as well as children, older people and those who learn best outside an academic context. We hope to create a city where everyone, regardless of their background can learn about architecture and citymaking by exploring it first hand free from barriers, prejudice or discrimination.

Architectural tours are a precious and long-standing part of British culture. We are fortunate to enjoy an illustrious history of writers, wanderers and flaneurs who’ve used walking the streets to shape their literature. The famous architecture critic Nikolaus Pevsner for example whose remarkable oeuvre documents in enormous detail The Buildings of England that might otherwise have been lost to time. Writers like Doris Lessing, Virginia Woolf, Will Self, Ian Sinclair, Robert Macfarlane and Owen Hatherley too have drawn on first hand walks to shape their remarkable accounts of people and places across the UK and beyond. 

There are times when our mission to make urban exploration more open and rewarding for the many comes into conflict with desires of landowners who do not share our passion for making tours more accessible and equitable. Some may feel threatened by a group of visitors admiring their home from the street when actually their appreciation and respect for architectural heritage is mutual and shared. We are keen to create respectful and discrete urban tours which do not cause unnecessary nuisance to residents and businesses whose buildings we might visit but instead ultimately become a focus of shared pride. We invite landowners to join us in our belief that the public realm – including publicly-owned land and land benefiting from public rights of way – is ultimately for the public to use and enjoy freely, and for them to support the affirmation of this right in our work.

This charter outlines our policy and suggestions on striking the right balance between delivering meaningful and accessible tours which can engage a broad audience with discussions about their city, and taking reasonable steps to minimise nuisance to inhabitants of the buildings we discuss and critique.

Public and Private Roads

We believe that public roads and private roads with a public right of way are for the public to explore, enjoy and use and we encourage them to do so. Private road signs often are placed at the entrance to roads which still have a public right of way and can sometimes cause confusion. In England, unless a road is fully gated, the public have a right of way to explore it without fear of contestation.

Consideration of others

All citizens have a right to use public space but a responsibility to do so in a way that is considerate of others. We encourage all members of the public to be considerate urban explorers, including seeking permission to take photographs with people in shot, avoiding peering through windows into others’ homes and keeping noise to a minimum in quiet areas. Care should be taken to keep all rights of way open and clear for others especially disabled and vulnerable people and parents with buggies. 

Responsibilities of property owners 

We ask those lucky enough to live in outstanding architecture, whether in private homes or remarkable public estates, to find ways to share their privilege with others. It is a privilege to live in outstanding architecture and good manners to respond to the natural curiosity of others with good grace. Help tour guides and participants by sharing anecdotes, insights and navigational tips as they pass through your neighbourhood. 

Personal information

All our tours draw from information in the public domain. Dates of buildings, architects and descriptions of architectural features can be found through published books, planning offices and direct observation. There is no data protection issue in sharing information that is already publicly available. Architectural history is part of our shared heritage and therefore an educational right for everyone. 

Photography

All citizens have the right to take photographs of any building or other person they can see from a public place. We strongly encourage photographers to seek permission from anyone who may be in shot of their photographs as a courtesy.  

Signatories

Modernist Estates

Open City

Ruth Lang

Modernism in Metroland

Justin Hutchinson

Richard Guest

Christopher Bromley

Rosalind Furness

Sarah McGuire

Calderdale Green Party

Brutiful Birmingham

Urbanthoughts

Richard Sanderson

Michelle Grace

Christian Ducker

If you or an organisation you are part of would like to sign up to this charter. You can do so using the form below and your name will be added to the list of signatories.