London Festival of Architecture

M@
By M@ Last edited 189 months ago
London Festival of Architecture

It starts tomorrow, folks. The London Festival of Architecture runs for a whole month and comprises some 600 events and installations. Previously, we selected a few ticketed events so you could book early. Today, we present a few highlights that run for several days and don't require any planning on your part. Just turn up. We'd encourage you to take a closer look at the full listings too, as we can only highlight a very small sample of the rich programme here.

20 June-20 July The V&A's John Madejski Garden is transformed into what looks like a classic Dr Who set, courtesy of architect Yung Ho Chang.

20 July-6 June The Crystal Palace reappears in Hyde Park. Sort of. Well, OK, not really. The building's foorprint will be recreated with balloons and things, while historians and artists attempt to bring it to life. They won't succeed if they use the same offputting jargon as the website, which describes the event as 'Part of an ongoing exploration into the narratives of memory in our urban landscape'.

20-22 June The courtyard of Somerset House will be furnished with London's Largest Living Room. See what oversized swag you can find down the back of the sofa. Meanwhile, the National Theatre sports its own giant suite made from turf. Grow your own couch potatoes?

25-29 June Superblue Skyscopes nods to the Telectroscope by creating periscopes with unexpected views of Canary Wharf.

27 June-20 July Dark Waters sees six Thames piers transformed into audio-visual installations to reconnect the visitor with the Thames. Not literally, we hope.

4-6 July Montague Place Installation. A 160 m temporary walkway should liven up the arse end of the British Museum, bringing life to an area that 'has the potential to be one of the capital's great outdoor spaces'.

9-13 July The Skylon, lost icon of the South Bank, will be celebrated in all its limited glory. The campaign starts here to see it reconstructed (on top of the Euston Arch, we say).

Plus, look out for special street furniture, sculpture and information boards dotted around town.

Last Updated 19 June 2008