The first elements of the Open House 2024 programme have been announced, including open days, and walking and cycling tours. Buildings with ballot-ticketing have also been announced.
The annual festival is a huge deal for architecture fans — or anyone who likes to go behind the scenes in places which are usually off-limits to the public. In the past we've found ourselves inside the St Pancras clock tower, and on the roof of TfL's former HQ at 55 Broadway as a result of Open House Festival events. Here are a few highlights from the programme that we know of so far:
- Enter a ballot: While most buildings don't need pre-booking, some more popular venues are ticketed, and some by ballot. The first four have been announced: the BT Tower, the Trellick Tower, John Morden Centre in Blackheath (2023 Sterling Prize winner), and a tour of the future London Museum site in Smithfield. The ballot is open from noon on 8 August till 28 August. Enter here
- Tours of #Merky FC HQ, a football community centre in Selhurst which was created by rapper Stormzy and Adidas to help young people of Black heritage into careers in the football industry. The centre has a full-sized 3G pitch, recording studio and gaming room;
- Guided tours of Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Hounslow;
- Studio open days, including Heatherwick Studio’s new space in King's Cross, which is home to models of some of the company's previous projects;
- Buildings on the programme for the first time, including the former British Sailors' Society Mission in Stepney, now converted into private homes, and Walworth Town Hall, which has been restored after a fire in 2013;
- Guided tours of the normally-private Herbarium at Kew Gardens (the fancy gated building overlooking Kew Green)
- Historic buildings which are staples on the Open House programme: the Royal Courts of Justice and Temple Bar are confirmed so far;
- Events, including a National Portrait Gallery late celebrating the building's architecture, a guided walk across Home Park Water Meadows in Hampton Court, a tour of the murals and Grade II listed mosaic mural on Broadwater Farm Estate, a walking tour looking at how the tube shaped London, and dedicated British Sign Language events developed with Deaf Architecture Front founder Chris Laing.
The full Open House 2024 programme is due to be announced on 21 August (and believe us, we're counting down the days). In the meantime, peruse last year's highlights, which included tours of the BT Tower, Prince Henry's Room on Fleet Street, and the London Fire Brigade Memorial Hall — though of course, there's no guarantees that the same venues will take part this year. But that's all part of the fun.
Previously, Open House took place over a single weekend, but it's grown in recent years. Open House 2024 takes place 14-22 September, and we're promised 700 open days and events across all 33 London boroughs. Magnificent.
