Collections
This year, Open House London takes a more tightly curated approach than usual, grouping buildings into ‘Collections' that encourage visitors to explore the programme thematically. Amongst others, categories include Radical Housing; Architecture for the Climate Emergency; Colonial Histories; and Race and Space. In each collection, there is a mix of films that can be watched on the Open House website, the usual building visits with social distancing measures, and self guided itineraries. The widened programming that crosses digital and physical spaces was a response to the pandemic.
Open House films
One of the films in the series explores Bill Dunster Zedfactory Architects' BedZED Centre (pictured here). The project is a mixed use eco-village designed as an example of a low-carbon neighbourhood featuring pedestrianised streets, and lower energy bills for residents. Harper describes the films as ‘pithy documentaries' that aim to recreate the physical Open House experience for viewers.
Model London
If you can't make it to Open House, there is a way to bring the festival to your kitchen table with a group of card models commissioned by Open House assistant curator Hafsa Adan. The Model London series features buildings such as St Paul's Cathedral, Ernö Goldfinger's Glenkerry House, The Hoover Building and The Treasury.
The Alternative Guide to the London Boroughs
Edited by Owen Hatherley, this book explores London’s neighbourhoods through essays and images. Ellie Stathaki, Wallpaper* architecture editor, writes: ‘The essays feel intimate and the authors’ voices are distinct, engaging and direct. There are tales about origins, travels and childhoods; all superimposed with architectural facts and tales of urban exploration.' Read more here.
Slavery and the City
This walking tour, led by London tour guides Six in the City, on 19 September, explores the City of London's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. Sites and institutions with direct links to the slave trade will be visited, and historical facts told along the way. Conversations will also broach contemporary responses to this history, and apologies that have been made. Pictured above, the Jamaica Wine House on St Michael Alley, a site of importance to the sugar trade and work of anti-abolitionists.
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Clocking on: the bedside analogue timepieces that won’t alarm your aestheticWe track down the only tick-tocks that matter, nine traditional alarm clocks that tell the time with minimum fuss and maximum visual impact
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Architecture, sculpture and materials: female Lithuanian artists are celebrated in NîmesThe Carré d'Art in Nîmes, France, spotlights the work of Aleksandra Kasuba and Marija Olšauskaitė, as part of a nationwide celebration of Lithuanian culture
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‘There is more work to be done in the garden’: Dries Van Noten on deciding to grow his burgeoning beauty lineFor Dries Van Noten, 2024 has been a landmark year. After stepping down from fashion in June, the designer speaks to Wallpaper* about a new focus on nurturing the brand’s beauty line and spending more time in his beloved garden
