Explore the
unique architecture
and built heritage of
North Kensington
Join Open City for a walking tour exploring North Kensington, one of London’s most compelling, diverse and architecturally varied neighbourhoods
This walking tour — led by Golden Key Academy graduate and architect Áine Grace —explores the vastly disparate identities of North Kensington and invites attendees to experience for themselves what is often a misunderstood area. Throughout the tour, participants will discover stories from the area’s past and present, and find out about the communities and individuals who have influenced and shaped its unique built heritage.
The walk takes us from Notting Hill’s rural origins through to its development during the 1800s as both an industrial centre for brick manufacture and an emerging middle-class suburban residential neighbourhood. Today throughout the area we can still see remnants of the Victorian-era’s stark class and wealth distinction; a prevailing theme which casts a shadow over North Kensington's history right up to present day.
The tour will explore the immense changes brought to North Kensington throughout the 20th Century — from housing quality decline in the aftermath of World War II bomb damage, to changing post-war demographics which saw many immigrant families settle in the area who would help shape a new and enduring identity, epitomised by the legendary Notting Hill Carnival.
The area played a pivotal role in the counter-culture movement of the 1960s, nurturing and inspiring many of the decade's most influential artists. The area also underwent transformative urban and architectural development at the hands of the LCC and GLC in the mid to late 20th Century, with iconic structures such as the Westway and Trellick Tower featuring large on the local landscape.
Bringing us up to the present day, the tour will discuss the influence of Richard Curtis' popular 1990s films (such as Notting Hill) in shaping a new identity for North Kensington as an exclusive and affluent London neighbourhood. All the while, we walk in the shadow of the remains of the Grenfell Tower, devastated by fire on the 14th of June 2017 and observe the signs of a grieving community which are all around us as we explore these streets.
Key information:
Meet: St John’s Church (entrance) 152 Lansdowne Crescent, W11 2NN
End: Trellick Tower W10
Duration: 2.5 hrs approx
Access: Moderately hilly in places with some steps up to Trellick at the end of the tour. Some parts of the tour will likely cross through busy areas around Portobello Market.
Distance: 4.5km approx
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…
Áine Grace is originally from Belfast where she studied architecture at Queens University. Her work has a strong focus on urbanism and film. She is particularly interested in analysing our ever evolving attitudes to cities and how we inhabit the built environment. After moving to London almost seven years ago, she has worked on a number of large scale residential and masterplan projects and continues to weave film into architectural practice, completing a short film recently about getting lost in London.
Grace is a graduate of the 2021 Golden Key Academy — a masterclass for urban and architectural tour guiding run by Open City. She joined the Open City tours team in November 2021.
Open City's year-round tours programme is supported by Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.