All hail one of our favourite fortnights of the year: the moment when the doors to a selection of private homes and the lesser-seen parts of hallowed institutions alike are unlocked for our curious eyes to see. Who hasn’t, after all, craned their neck to peer into a particularly inviting or interesting window, its glowing light beckoning our glance, and lingering a moment or two past the point of politeness? If, like us, you are inveterately nosy, (or, alternatively, you just love architecture and design) this two-week stretch feels like being let into the secrets of the city, unlocking buildings that we walk past every day and thus opening up a whole new world to Londoners.
Running from 6 – 17 September, this volunteer-led public event is the largest of its kind in the world. Open for all, the doors to some venues are simply flung wide for visitors to walk into at will, while others offer scheduled guided tours. Best of all, it’s all completely free. How many events can that be said of?
Simply visit the website to sign up for a through-the-keyhole tour or, if you’re interested in the history of London’s architecture, book onto the programme of urban walks and tours through a rich and diverse variety of neighbourhoods.
Highlights of Open House in 2023 include the Grade II-listed Ernö Goldfinger’s’s 1972 Trellick Tower, which has become an icon of the Brutalist movement; the Royal Opera House, where visitors can glimpse behind the scenes and peer into the ballet studios where much magic happens; Chris Dyson’s architectural studios, housed within a former pub on the corner of Commercial and Fashion Street; Tin House, a private home in Shepherd’s Bush that is striking for its russet red wall and glass roofing; and Colour Casing, a Camberwell home that was awarded best project under £100k by Don’t Move Improve for creating ‘the flexibility of a house within the footprint of an original small flat with a new rear and side addition.’
So, grab a tube map, plot your route and plan a couple of weekends darting around the city to discover a world otherwise hidden from view. Do note, however, it’s popular. There will be queues. But, as Brits, is there much in life we enjoy more than standing in a good line followed by a gawp inside someone else’s home?
By Nancy Alsop
September 2023
From 6 – 17 September, Open House London, one of our favourite festivals in the capital, will once more offer the chance for a glimpse behind usually closed doors.
By
Nancy Alsop
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Published August 2023
Nancy is a magpie for the best in design and culture.
