Featuring two SW15 properties 16-17 September

Ark before and after remodelling

For the first time in its 25-year history, every London borough is participating in this year’s Open House, with free entry to more than 800 of the city’s most compelling buildings.

Almost every building type is represented accross London: government buildings, offices, places of worship, military buildings, livery halls, industrial complexes. There’s even a yurt and a medieval barn. In Wandsworth borough there are twenty on eproperties and in the SW15 area there are two buildings:

Ark Putney Academy (formerly Elliott School)
Pullman Gardens, SW15 3DG
Sat 10am–2pm + architect-led tours of whole
building, every 20 mins T·D
A prime example of a post-war Modernist education building (Grade II listed), remodelled in order to meet the community’s current and future learning needs. LCC Architects (G A Trevett), 1956

Wistaston Cottage
65 Medfield Street, Roehampton, SW15 4JY
Sat 10am–5pm.
A new 2-storey timber rear extension to a Gothic revival semi-detached house. Shortlisted for the AJ Small Projects Award and RIBA London Award 2016. Simon Gill Architects, 2014

By giving free entry to London’s best buildings, Open House champions great architecture and the importance of the public realm. “We want Londoners to speak as confidently about their built environment as they do about books, music and art. Getting the public inside great buildings and visiting places that are well-designed is the best way to do it,” says Open House Director Rory Olcayto.

As each Open House weekend has come and gone, London’s skyline – and public interest in architecture – has been transformed. Neither the Gherkin nor Grand Designs existed when Open House was launched in 1992. Today, it is a key date in London’s cultural calendar. Last year more than a quarter of a million people visited at least one building each over the weekend. This year’s Open House is also the last chance to visit Crossrail stations – on prebooked tours –before they open to the public next year.

In this year’s guide you can find details of every building to visit alongside articles and opinions about London’s great architecture, and a look back over the past quarter century. To purchase one of the Open House limited edition guides featuring a silver foil anniversary rosette visit the Open City online shop.

This year Open House has launched a free app for the first time, for both Android and Apple. Users can view buildings nearby, save favourites to plan their weekend, and filter results by day, architectural type and period.

August 31, 2017