A tale of two cities with Eric Parry
Part one: City of Westminster
Join Open City and the leading London architect Eric Parry to explore the architecture of Westminster
This is the first tour of this series of two tours led by architect and Royal Academician Eric Parry that will visit London’s two historic cities, Westminster and the City of London.
Eric Parry has built prolifically in both ‘cities’ and over the course of two tours he will introduce his personal reflections on the unique character of each, through a detailed explanation of the development of the designs for his buildings.
This first tour focuses on the City of Westminster and will begin at 50 New Bond Street and take in 14 George Street - the redevelopment of 50 New Bond Street and 14 St George Street creates two high quality office buildings within a highly restricted urban site, surrounded by listed buildings.
The walking tour will visit key Eric Parry buildings 23 Saville Row, One Eagle Place, Nos. 8 &and 30 St James’ Square and the Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields - regarded as the masterpiece of the distinguished 18th century architect James Gibbs and one of the country’s finest historic churches.
Crossing Strand and the river Thames via Hungerford Bridge to Waterloo the final destination will be the recently completed £5.5 million restoration and renovation of the Grade II*-listed renovation of St John’s Waterloo, where Eric Parry Architects has restored and revealed key elements of the historic interior of the church to create a high-quality space for arts and events within the listed building.
Meet: 50 New Bond Street W1S 1BJ
End: St John’s Church Waterloo, 73 Waterloo Rd SE1 8TY
Distance: 3.5km
Duration: 2 hours approx
Cost: £14.50 / £9.50 concessions (students/unemployed, not retirees)
Access: Potential stairs or possible use of a lift on the Hungerford Footbridges to cross the Thames – level access through Charing Cross Station
Tickets are non refundable and go ahead rain or shine… Get in touch with Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk with any queries.
MEET THE TOUR GUIDE
Eric Parry founded his architectural and design practice in 1983 after studying architecture at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, The Royal College of Art, London and the Architectural Association, London. As an architect he is known for the intellectual rigour with which every project is approached and particularly the dialogue between techtonics and materiality. Now leading a practice of 100 with offices in London and Singapore he is fully involved in every aspect of the practice’s work from inception to the direction of project teams, design development and delivery.
In addition to his work in architectural practice, Eric has held a number of eminent posts. In 2006 he was elected Royal Academician (RA), one of the highest accolades for a practicing architect or artist in the UK. His contribution to academia includes 14 years as Lecturer in Architecture at the University of Cambridge (between 1983 and 1997) and lectureships at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology. In 1975 he spent a year studying nomadic settlement in the middle east.
The practice is responsible for the design of some of the most significant projects in London today.