Join Open City for a walking tour exploring how public health challenges shaped London’s built environment through the ages
This insightful walking tour from Soho to Clerkenwell — led by writer and architectural designer Eleanor Marshall — chronicles the many public health crises throughout London’s history and reveals how bold reformers, architects and public bodies radically changed our urban environment in response.
The walk will explain how urban qualities we take for granted today — such as clean water, sanitation, fresh air and natural light — came to be recognised as crucial to good living and working conditions and radically influenced the architecture of the city. The tour will also consider how the recent pandemic has reshaped our city once again.
Participants will discover the extraordinary stories of public health through the centuries. Starting in Soho Square, the tour travels through Bloomsbury to Somers Town, an area of bold community health reform and finishes at Bevin Court, a controversial housing project that was part of a string of radical attempts to create modernist affordable housing in the former Borough of Finsbury.
This longer length tour will examine themes of public health, sanitary conditions and public housing by profiling pioneering buildings and people who have influenced much of modern architecture throughout Britain ever since.
Meet: Outside 29-30 Soho Square W1D 3QS
Duration: 3 hrs approx
Distance: 5 km approx
End: at Bevin Court, near Angel Islington
Cost: £19.50 / £14.50 / £9.50
Tickets are non refundable. Tours go ahead rain or shine… Get in touch with Adrianna at tours@open-city.org.uk with any queries.