What to see at Open House London 2021
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Open House London runs from September 4-12, with over 800 buildings throwing their doors open to the public for free. Spanning 33 of the capital’s boroughs, the programme is dizzying in its scope, offering everything from walking tours and talks to sneak peaks of under-appreciated brutalist masterpieces and new design districts. Here is our selection of the best bits, ranging from the renowned to the little known, the modernist to the contemporary.
Houses
For city dwellers, it’s hard not to marvel at these buildings created in the last couple of years that make efficient use of slithers of land. Tin House in Shepherd’s Bush, which featured in our ‘My Modern House’ series, is a prime example, squeezed into a plot that is surrounded by terraced houses. Architect and owner Henning Stummel will lead tours around the house, which consists of a series of interconnected pyramidial pavilions that are wrapped in fiery red coated steel. On the other side of the city, Macdonald Wright Architects’ beautifully crafted Library House in Clapton also enlivens an unused plot, sandwiched between two existing buildings. Join a tour with the architect to see how sustainability is at the heart of the two-bedroom house, which is thermally efficient and boasts its own solar energy system.
Equally impressive – and just three miles away in Bow – is Naked House, a Victorian terrace that has been reimagined by east London-based architects Whittaker Parsons with sustainability at the forefront of their design. Take a tour with the architects to see how salvaged materials were used to contemporary effect. Hedge Lane in north London follows a similar spirit, with Patrick Monaghan of Bernard Stilwell Architects remodelling the rear of an inter-war end of terrace. Learn how Patrick created a light-filled space, which still respects the building’s original fabric.
Estates
For something that seems almost unfathomable in scale, head south-west to take in one of the largest estates in the UK – the Alton Estate in Roehampton. Built between 1958 and 1959 as a response to the housing shortage caused by World War II, the estate combines low-level Scandinavian-inspired houses with five high-rise Corbusian-esque towers. At the other end of the spectrum, 11 miles east, is Walter Segal’s self-build estate in Honor Oak, which was built in the 1980s and consists of a cul-de-sac of 13 lightweight, timber-framed houses. Two of these are open for tours and there is also a film and talks by the authors of the recently published book Walter Segal: Self-Built Architect.
Just as iconic – and well worth the trip north – is the Isokon Building in Belsize Park, a 1934 Grade I-listed concrete monolith designed by eminent architect Wells Coates. Likened to an ocean liner, the white building originally comprised 32 flats, with an emphasis on communal facilities including the aptly named ‘Isobar’, which became something of a watering hole for north London intellectuals. Enjoy a tour, or book onto the virtual tour and Q&A if the rumours of long queues prove to be true.
Galleries
Visit the Flow Gallery in Notting Hill to see a space so serene that you’ll wish it was your home (luckily for owner Yvonna Demczynska, it actually is). “I’ve always liked Kettle’s Yard and it inspired me to open this gallery,” Yvonna told us when we visited as part of our ‘My Modern House’ series. Just as beautiful as the interiors, which were redesigned by John Pardey Architects in 2014, is the artfully curated array of ceramics, glass, paper, wood and textiles. Currently, the gallery is hosting a solo show of Swedish artist Kina Björklund’s historically-inspired ceramics.
From here, cross Hyde Park to Piccadilly and head to Stuart Shave Modern Art Gallery, which is an equally elegant sight – think parquet floors, white walls and glazed partitions. There is currently an exhibition of works by Dutch artist René Daniëls on show, although you would be forgiven for letting yourself be distracted by the George Nakashima and Le Corbusier furniture that adorns the space.
Modernist walking tours
What better way to get your modernist bearings than a walking tour of the Barbican? Led by architectural historian Billy Reading, the walk kicks off at the Golden Lane Estate – the Barbican’s older sibling – before taking in the lesser known nooks and crannies of the brutalist masterpiece. For those that fancy an adventure further afield, head up to Stanmore for Modernism in Metroland, which explores the modernist and art deco houses of the area. Some fuse vernacular and modern styles and others have hints of brutalism and Californian modernism. In south-west London, opt for a self-guided walk of East Putney’s best modern architecture, taking in everything from a 1950s LCC small scale infill estate to Brandlehow Primary School, which earnt a Grade II listing as one of only two schools built using Ernö Goldfinger’s school system.
Although not strictly a walking tour, a wander around Greenwich’s new Design District is a must. Consisting of 16 new buildings designed by eight contemporary architects, the area is designed to be a hub for creative industries, offering affordable studios and workspaces. Should you wish to explore inside, three of the buildings are inviting the public in – 33 by Studio Weave, C1 by Architecture 00 and C3 by HNNA.
RELATED ON THE MODERN HOUSE
How design duo Isabel + Helen explore movement, materials and mechanisms in art
How Liliane Tomasko and Sean Scully deal with abstraction
How Sophie Taeuber-Arp changed modern art and design
How Rachel Kneebone unravels the human experience in art
How Eduardo Chillida created a sense of time and space
How Charlotte Perriand pushed the boundaries of design
Cultural Diary: make the most of galleries and museums reopening this month
Culture at home in March 2021
The best of what to see, read and do from your sofa in February 2021
Cultural highlights in January 2021, from architecture exhibitions to art openings