Wednesday 18 September 2013

3 days to Open House London weekend!

Open Debate: Is London Building a Sterile City?Yesterday evening Open-City hosted their first ever Open Debate to officially launch Open House London. 8,200 people applied in the ballot to attend what was a lively discussion chaired by Razia Iqbal, BBC Correspondent with Stephen Howlett (CEO Peabody Housing), Leo Hollis (author, 'Cities are Good For You'), Bob Allies (Partner, Allies and Morrison), and Sue Illman (President, Landscape Institute) on the panel. Filmed by Gleeds, the debate will be uploaded online shortly. Read about the debate here

Download or update the Open House London app for new features including 'near me' to show buildings open around you, search filters such as Architect, Period, and 'What's New'. Click here to download now

***Tip for the day... If you're using the App make sure your phone is fully charged as maps quickly eat up your battery!***

Last chance to order the guide and win tea at the Gherkin!Place your order for the 80-page guide to Open House London before 10am tomorrow and be in with a chance to win tea for two at the top of 30 St Mary Axe ('The Gherkin'). All orders will be placed into a ballot and the winner will be contacted shortly to arrange their visit. Orders will be dispatched tomorrow for delivery in time for the weekend. Click here to order your guide now

Open House London long-term star buildings...

City HallHome of the Mayor of London and London Assembly, an environmentally-aware building with innovative spiral ramp and fine views across London. Special Events to OHL weekend: 'Built To Serve' an exhibition of designs for the new Met Police HQ & City of a Thousand Architects junior actvity in the London Living Room. 

Bank of EnglandWork of 3 architects - George Sampson, Robert Taylor & John Soane - internally rebuilt in imperial classical style. Soanian remnants are screen walls and reconstruction of Bank Stock Office in 1988.



Housing of the day...
Geoffrey Road Housing, LB Lewisham
New urban infill building employing contemporary design and old-fashioned building materials to generate a living environment of gentle beauty.


Landscape of the day...
Next stop, Trees! Green spaces walk and interactive bus stop installation
Walk following the 55 bus route from Old Street, through Shoreditch, and up Hackney Road looking at the impact of green spaces on the streetscape. The idea, Street Orchard (shortlisted forLandscape Institute’s High Line for London Competition) will be presented with an installation along the walk. Between-Bricks 2013.


Education building of the day...
Hollymount School
storey extension of an existing primary school on a constrained site in Wimbledon with new double-height top-lit gallery space to create a new heart for the school. BREEAM rated Very Good.



Restoration of the day...
The Malthouse and Granary, LB Barking & Dagenham
Restoration of a 5-storey Victorian Malthouse and Granary on the River Roding with contemporary bronze clad extension, featuring low-tech approach to viable sustainability. Malthouse now an arts/creative centre.
Book a tour now on sdrury@rooff.co.uk

Book now! Last places remaining:Vivo Ocean Estate, Levitt Bernstein Estate
Vivo delivers the largest new build phase of the Levitt Bernstein designed masterplan for the £220m transformation of the Ocean Estate and has been placed at the heart of the estate. Book now by emailingabdul.wajid@towerhamlets.gov.uk

Baitul Futuh Mosque 
Purpose-built mosque (2003) and the largest in Europe, with 15m diameter dome and minarets 36m and 23m high, and accommodating 13,000 worshippers. The building is a blend of Islamic and modern British architecture and incorporates much of the structure of an old dairy site. Facilities include halls, library, creche, studios. Voted one of top 50 buildings in the world by Independent magazine. Book now on 020 8648 5255