EN
OP USE
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London 2016
Annual Review
Contents
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10
16
26
31
P. ↘
Facts and figures — key highlights 2016
P. ↘
Open House L aunch event
P. ↘
progr amme themes
P. ↘
volunteers progr amme
P. ↘
analysis by borough
6
12
22
28
62
P. ↘
Marketing & publicit y
P. ↘
director’s diary
P. ↘
audience analysis
P. ↘
open house 25th anniversary
P. ↘
Sponsors and supporters
Introduction
rory olcay to, open house london director
Welcome to the Open House London 2016 report,
a comprehensive review of the world’s biggest architecture
event. The weekend programme, which saw over 700 buildings
open their doors to the public, was an overwhelming
success with almost 300,000 visits logged over the two days.
Everything you need to know about our audience, the
buildings they visited, our marketing reach, the high profile
launch and our amazing volunteers, is included within. This year
you will also find the facts and figures for each participating
borough, so you can see how the Open House experience plays
out across London. There’s the Director’s Diary too, providing
an insider’s view of the city-wide programme.
Our ‘equitable city’ theme and our partnership with
the Mayor of London’s #LondonIsOpen campaign was central
to Open House this year. One highlight was Robert Elms’ Open
House ‘jam session’ – five experts discussing the equitable
city on his BBC Radio London show. Another was deputy mayor
Jules Pipe addressing the equitable city at our launch.
The huge number of stories in the national press – sixteen – was also very welcome.
Our Twitter competition, which asked the public to take
selfies in front of the rebranded Open House posters dotted
throughout the underground network then post them online
for a chance to enter 10 Downing Street, was a hit, as was
our Snapchat channel hosting film-clips during the weekend.
In essence, however, Open House remains unchanged,
and once again ensured that everyone, for a weekend at least,
could enjoy London’s best buildings and places. Ultimately,
the idea of an ‘open city’, where citizens roam freely and play
an active role in shaping the buildings and places around them,
something we promote through Open City (the charity behind
Open House) is our goal. Thank you for your support thus far!
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3
Facts & Figures — Key Highlights 2016
open house london weekend 17–18 september
739
buildings and projects
292,885
visits to buildings over the weekend
163,221
people in our online communit y (t wit ter, facebook, instagr am, e-newslet ters)
300 +
architects’ pr actices, engineering firms, and developers involved
4
open house london 2016
Outcomes
Learning from London
Engaging with the cit y
85 %
92 %
73 31%
said Open House taught them
something new about London
%
said the event helped them to
see London in a different way
47 %
said Open House changed what they
think about the importance of well
designed buildings in the cit y
93
%
think that Open House is the best
way to see, explore and learn
about London’s architecture
A privileged insight behind what
are normally closed doors, which
builds a sense of community across
London from the outer boroughs
to the centre of government
visitor to marlborough house
annual re view
said the event had made them
think differently about design,
amenities and infrastructure
said Open House has made them more
likely to think about how their local
neighbourhood could be improved
27 %
said that Open House made them more likely
to comment on a local pl anning issue
79 %
walked bet ween buildings
during Open House London
The experience of Open House sums
up all that is best about
London – interesting architectural
projects, loved by their owners,
shared with the public – a wonderful
eclectic mix, united by their
fascination with architecture
visitor to mansfield road
5
Marketing & Publicity
promotion of the event
Our campaign aims to reach a broad
range of audiences, from local
communities to politicians. Each year
we develop and employ a range of
tools resulting in excellent exposure.
Advertising
1.69 m
people reached through london
underground advertising campaign
600
l arge format banners for participating
sites to promote the event
6
mARKETING MATERIALS
100,000 printed open house guides
3,500
A2 posters distributed
to a wide net work including:
350
2,000
Local libr aries
propert y owners,
business
and volunteers
4
FREE DOWNLOADABLE Map guides showing
clusters of Open House buildings
open house london 2016
Posters at 65 London
Underground stations
Open House London app
Open House London Listings search website
online and social media campaign
10 622
dedicated Open House newslet ters
4,485
clicks on our most popul ar t weet
16,000
mentions of open house on T wit ter
tagged images on instagr am
105,351 57,870 20 %
e-newslet ter subscribers
52 %
t wit ter, facebook
& instagr am followers
found out about the event through our
social media and e-marketing channels
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increase in T wit ter
followers from 2015
21 %
found out about the event
through word of mouth
7
Marketing & Publicity
* These figures are
taken from
a report of Open
House’s print
coverage produced
by the International
Press Clippings
Bureau (IPCB)
Media and PR Overview *
2016 HIGHLIGHTS
111
STANDOUT QUOTES
articles july – September
16
ARTICLES IN
NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS
13m
size of print readership
8
1 Sadiq Khan
2 The Guardian,
15 September 2016
3 Time Out London,
27 September 2016
4 Tim Westwood
5 Charlotte Crosby
(Geordie Shore)
6 Open House guide
at Foyles Bookshop
7 Boris Johnson
8 Rory Olcayto on ITV News
Evening Standard (07/09/16)
‘Be inspired by fabulous new architecture as over
700 buildings are thrown open to the public’
The Sunday Times (11/09/16)
‘For architectural enthusiasts, Open House
London is like Christmas come early’
BROADCAST COVER AGE
ITV London (16/09/16)
Interview with Rory Olcayto at The Gherkin
talkRADIO (17/09/16)
Interview with Rory Olcayto
BBC Radio London coverage
BBC Radio London have been a media partner of Open House
London since 1996. This year there were daily features
on the Robert Elms Show in the week running up to the event,
with interviews highlighting key programme themes
→→ Rory Olcayto discussing The Equitable City
→→ Open House Debate featuring Deborah Saunt from DSDHA, Ben
Adams of Ben Adams Architects, Sven Münder from Peckham Car
Park and Simon Chouffot of Naked House Community Builders
→→ Rosie Shaw and Clare Gough on Pitzhanger Manor restoration
→→ Volunteering for Open House with Rick
Smith, Open House volunteer
→→ Paul Lincoln, Landsacpe Institute and Antony Oliver, New Civil
Engineer discuss the spaces between and underneath buildings
BBC Radio London
→→ Rory Olcayto interviewed by Vanessa Feltz
open house london 2016
1,2
3,4
5,6
7,8
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9
Open House Launch — 15 September 2016
vip reception to l aunch the weekend
The launch takes place in the days leading up to
the Open House Weekend. The event celebrates
Open House’s role as an established highlight
in London’s cultural calendar but also serves as
a get-together for our friends and supporters.
We always use memorable buildings to host
the launch. Last year it was held at the Foreign
& Commonwealth Office. This year, on September
15, we celebrated Open House by kicking
off in British Land’s ‘Cheesegrater’, or more
specifically, the offices of Rogers Stirk Harbour
& Partners, on level 14 of London’s newest
skyscraper. More than 300 guests came along.
Why the Cheesegrater? A few reasons: one,
it is home to the practice founded by Richard
Rogers, a civic-minded architect who has
worked tirelessly to promote people-centric
planning during his years as an advisor to
the GLA. But also because the building itself
makes as strong a contribution to the streets
it does to the skyline with the provision
of a plaza at its base. Furthermore, and
perhaps most significantly, level 14 of the
Cheesegrater is a site of production: a place
where chunks of the city are actually made.
Our speakers included Richard Rogers himself,
partner Ivan Harbour and Open House director
Rory Olcayto. Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe, was
also invited to speak. As well as celebrating
the GLA’s #LondonIsOpen partnership with
Open House, Jules addressed our theme this
year and asked, ‘Is London an Equitable City?’
You can read his full speech opposite.
TOP
Richard Rogers & Ivan Harbour
middle
Ros Morris (Open House Marketing
Coordinator), Natalya Wells
(Open House Manager)
& Rory Olcayto (Director)
bottom
Open House launch guests
10
open house london 2016
jules pipe, deput y mayor
for regener ation
Thank you very much to Open City for inviting
me today as part of the launch of Open
House Weekend, it looks like a very exciting
schedule this year. Open City aims to be at
the centre of creating better places – towards
a better city – which is a goal shared by
the Mayor and his team at City Hall.
I have been asked to discuss the
question ‘Is London an equitable
city?’ London has experienced the
highest growth in the country over
the last 5 years but also remains the most unequal city in the UK,
with wage inequality and statutory homelessness rising.
Sadiq’s election has renewed focus at City Hall on how we can make
London a more fair and equitable city. In order to achieve this, we
must work together to make London a city for all Londoners, hand in
hand with organisations like Open City. We believe that ‘good’ growth
is desperately needed to share economic and social opportunities
amongst everyone in society – growth for all Londoners.
So what does this mean for design, planning and regeneration?
We believe it means Londoners must be able to participate in shaping
the city’s future, and share the benefits of growth. It is important
that regeneration is something that more Londoners should feel a
part of, not excluded from. But how can under-represented groups,
organisations and businesses have a greater stake in it?
Open City has a fantastic history of campaigning on this issue and their
education programmes set a benchmark for engaging people of different ages
and socio-economic backgrounds in architecture and regeneration of London.
Work like this will be fundamental to encouraging diversity in the built
environment industry, but also in supporting young people to be the decision
makers of tomorrow and have a greater stake in the future of their city.
The Mayor believes that direct engagement with the built environment is a
powerful way for Londoners to have meaningful involvement in their city. So
in that spirit, the Mayor’s Crowdfunding Programme is now giving local people
a platform to propose and bring to life regeneration ideas by providing support
and funding to community organisations to shape their own neighbourhoods.
As you may have seen in his recent campaign, the Mayor is keen to convey
that London is ‘open’. The ethos of the Open House Weekend aligns perfectly with
this. By enabling everyday Londoners to access spaces they would otherwise
not be able to will help to change perceptions, break down barriers and inspire
people to demand high-quality places for current and future generations.
I’m therefore delighted to open and to support Open House Weekend!
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11
Rory Olcayto’s Diary of the
Open House London Weekend
2 Days. 13 Buildings. 1 New Director
For me the Open House weekend had always been
a leisurely affair, visiting two buildings, maybe three
at most. This year however – my first as director – was
different. I wanted to use the weekend to get a feel
for the London that exists right now: a city of housing
crises and skyscrapers, ancient guilds and hi-tech hubs,
side extensions and BSF schools, grand government
buildings and infrastructure projects. And I wanted
to use the weekend to get under the skin of the brand.
Who visits what? Which sites come alive?
Is anyone finding our hidden gems?
saturday 17.09
09⁰⁰—09⁴⁰
Queuing for The Gherkin starts early
[cit y of london]
We begin at the Gherkin, the most striking
of London’s recent icons, and a perfect
expression of the city’s newfound confidence
and panache. Friendlier than the Shard,
smarter than the Walkie Talkie, the Gherkin
is the skyscraper that Londoners like most.
When I checked the Open House Snapchat
channel that morning, a video post showed
queues a thousand people long. A caption
read: ‘7.30am at the Gherkin’. By the time
we got there, around 9am, the queues were
longer still. No wonder then, there was
disappointment, with just 1000 of the 6000
who queued across the two half days getting
in. Perhaps the answer is to give access to our
most popular buildings more than once a year.
12
1000—1030
‘Brutiful plumage’
[cit y of london]
Our next stop was the Livery Hall for the 14th
century Salter’s Company, recently refurbished
by dMFK. The Basil Spence-designed Brutalist
building – dating from the 70s – is something
of a forgotten wonder. Besides the surreal sight of
huge lumps of salt arranged across its floors like
so many abstract sculptures, the highlight of our
trip was when the Beadle – or hall manager – gave
us a tour of the company’s silverware collection.
It’s this curious blend of tradition, secrecy, and
architectural grandeur that makes it a London
essential. It was comfortably busy when we
left, and jam-packed by early afternoon. Open
House friend Robert Elms may have helped: in
the week before the event he picked it as one of
his favourites on his BBC Radio London show.
open house london 2016
1230—1300
1100—1200
Sometimes good is good enough
[southwark]
We headed south to Camberwell, to visit two
education projects. First stop was Ortus, a
multi-purpose venue supported by a mental
health charity and designed by Duggan Morris.
In 2014, it was long-listed for the Stirling Prize
and at the time was considered the favourite
by many critics. It may not have won but it’s
well worth a look. With its spacious bright
interiors, functional but friendly layout, warm
materials and roof terrace, it represents the
kind of good, ordinary architecture we should
expect of the civic realm. The same could be
said for The Sacred Heart Roman Catholic
secondary school nearby. Designed by Cottrell &
Vermeulen, it’s another ‘good ordinary’ classic:
a light-well here; a vision panel there. And
how about a colonnade in the playground and
a double height lobby at the front entrance?
Not every building need be iconic. Sometimes
good is good enough. It was one of the last
of London’s BSF projects, completed some
four years after the ambitious school building
programme was axed by the Coalition in 2010.
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‘Peak Open House’
[southwark]
With its wavy roofline and grey metal façades,
Southwark’s waste management centre is
unlikely to bag the Stirling Prize but few sites
could rival it for the buzz crated by owner Veolia.
It was bustling. There were hundreds there
when we visited, touring the facilities to see how
London’s rubbish is sorted and recycled. But
there was so much more than the building to see.
Remote controlled ‘robots’ entertained kids in
the face-painting queue. There was a tent with
cake stands and a bouncy castle for young ones.
There were even two jolly looking chaps in hi-vis
jackets selling a children’s book about recycling
they’d written and illustrated themselves.
1330—1430
One way to make the East End ‘work’
[hackney]
We had planned to take in Robin Hood Gardens,
the soon-to-be-demolished housing estate in
Poplar but traffic meant we’d miss our tour of
Here East if we did. The latter is a curious place;
a vast new multi-purpose venue hosting BT
Sport and UCL with rental space for a number
of tech firms and creative industry start-ups.
It’s been wrought out of the Olympic press and
broadcast centre buildings by Hawkins Brown,
and given a ‘Pompidou’ makeover, all brightlycoloured façades with expressive utilitarian
detail. Roger Hawkins was there, leading tours
(of around 20 people) and among the visitors
brought to the building by minibus from Stratford
station, there was a happy, excited vibe.
13
Rory Olcayto’s Diary of the Open House London Weekend
1500—1530
The generosit y of private homeowners
keeps Open House alive
[tower hamlets]
Next: Whitechapel and 6a’s exquisite
Tree house, an extension which allows the
wheelchair-using resident to live more
comfortably on the ground floor and enjoy the
garden too. It’s ‘future-rustic’ charm – classic
and contemporary simultaneously – drew a
predominantly architectural crowd. What did
I learn here? Something very simple: that the
patience of the people who open their doors
to strangers for the weekend is legendary.
If only we could find a way to reward them…
1600—1630
Sometimes the Open House audience
can be very demanding!
[islington]
Another private house visit. This one, in north
London, a terraced 1960s townhouse with a
lively, quirky refit and, coincidentally, next door
to the home of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
A couple of things worth noting: 1) a few visitors
became a little rowdy when they realised
they’d missed the last entry time by 15 minutes
and 2) Mr Corbyn’s horrible uPVC windows!
sunday 18.09
1000—1020
Huge queues in the suburbs mean
hidden gems on your doorstep
[haringey]
We arrived in a quiet leafy Haringey street
and wandered towards Folds, an amazing
residential conversion by Bureau de Change,
the architects (while at Heatherwicks) behind
the Olympic cauldron. How did we know which
house to approach? The huge queue of course,
probably over a hundred people long, and a real
surprise to see in this quiet corner of London.
Here was the power of Open House in action:
providing richly rewarding experiences for the
people of Haringey literally on their doorstep.
14
open house london 2016
1230—1330
Open House London is local,
national and international
[westminster]
We arrived at Whitehall not long after midday
and headed for the Foreign & Commonwealth
Office. Everywhere we looked we saw visitors
marching past with their lime green Open House
guides. Inside, people from all over the UK and
many from abroad, queued to take photos of
Palmerston the cat, famed for bullying Larry,
the moggy residing at Number 10, while others
were more distracted by the opulent interiors.
1400—1600
1100—1135
How to beat the housing crisis
[kensington & chelsea]
Our next stop was residential too – but on
a completely different scale. The Silchester
Estate in West London, designed by Haworth
Tompkins for Open House supporter Peabody.
There were lessons aplenty here, mostly
urban and architectural: how to build big
and maintain visual interest; how to use
brick; how to animate the street and how to
activate a courtyard. Any developer looking
to build housing in London, whether luxury
or affordable, should visit. Silchester could
be a model for all kinds of tenure. Through
showcasing projects like these, Open House
can play a role in addressing the housing crisis.
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The Open House br and
really can open doors
[westminster]
The penultimate stop was 10 Downing Street
and a two-hour tour of the Prime Minister’s
residence. I also had the chance to meet
the winner (and his family) of our Open House
poster competition. Mohammed Ashraful
Anam ‘found’, and tweeted selfies in front
of more of our redesigned Open House
posters on the underground than anyone
else (18 out of 63 across the entire network)
thus winning the chance to see Mrs May’s new
home. All of us who visited felt enormously
privileged to be there and the goodwill
directed toward Open House was palpable.
1800—2000
Volunteers make Open House
[islington]
The weekend, and my buildings tour, ended
at the Angel Building, AHMM’s refurbished
60s office block in Islington, for our annual
volunteers’ party. Hundreds gathered for
a well-deserved drink and to no doubt gossip
about the busy weekend. The mood was
upbeat, there were people of all ages present,
and even the security guard managed to
raise a smile. We had over 1000 volunteers
help make Open House the success it was
this year. Here’s to every last one of them!
15
Open House Theme: The Equitable City
an open cit y is an equitable cit y
Open City, the charity behind Open House, promotes
an ethical, people-centred approach to designing, making,
sustaining and accessing the buildings and places
that define our cities. Open City asks that we look more
closely at the buildings and places around us, to better
understand how we can shape the kind of cities we want
to live in. Why? Because with the public and the built
environment professions behind Open City, we have
the potential to influence local and national government
policy on architecture, urban design and town planning
for the better.
a
no
not sure
%
yes
We asked our
audience their
thoughts on some
key issues facing
London today
a Do you think London
is adequately
pl anning for its
future grow th?
14
43
43
b Should the public
have a greater
say in the future
development of
London’s buildings
and pl aces?
74
5
21
cLondon’s green belt –
should we build on it ?
15
83
2
dWould you welcome
the return of
council housing?
62
10
21
16
b
c
d
open house london 2016
With this in mind we decided to introduce these ideas
to the Open House programme under the ‘equitable city’
banner. We did this in several ways, targeting both public
and professional audiences: through articles by leading
writers commissioned for the Open House guide (which
has a readership of 100,000); by exploring the notion of
an equitable city during the open house takeover on Robert
Elm’s daily BBC Radio London show; and at the launch,
when deputy mayor Jules Pipe addressed the subject
in front of Open House’s supporters and friends, including
many high-profile industry figures.
If you were
London
mayor,
what would
you do to
improve
London’s
townscape?
annual re view
Keep the focus on
modern innovation
as well as protecting
heritage
Ensure that it is
still a fabulous mix
of the very new
and the very old
Unless the
architecture is
spectacular, it is
important that
the style of the
building suits the
neighbourhood
Have an overall vision
of how built London
should develop rather
than a piecemeal
approach with sore
finger tower blocks
placed at random
To make sure it’s
accessible to
all, not just the
privileged few
Make local
councils work
together instead
of in isolation
17
How the City Works with
the Institution of Civil Engineers
It was a wonderful
opportunity
to go down into the
depths of Canary
Wharf Crossrail
to see the work
before completion
with expert guides
at both Crossrail
sites having such
knowledge
& enthusiasm
to show us as much
as they could
visitor
to crossr ail
canary wharf
Showcasing london’s infr astructure in partnership
with the Institution of Civil Engineers
Fancy a trip underground to see an emerging Crossrail tunnel?
Or how about a tour of a Victorian pumping station? If yes, get in
line – you’re not alone. Both are hugely popular events during the
Open House Weekend and our partnership with The Institution of
Civil Engineers (ICE) builds on this love of all things infrastructural.
Once again, this year’s programme showcased a range of London’s
key developments, including transport, water and waste, energy, flood
risk management and structural engineering. Highlights included seven
Crossrail construction sites (Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Bond
Street, Whitechapel, Liverpool Street, Custom House, and Canary Wharf)
and ICE Award-winning schemes such as the Emirates Airline Cable Car.
In addition, ICE organised two expert-led events of their own; a cycle tour
of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and a boat tour along the Thames.
facts & figures
4 2
infr astructure
rel ated projects
3 2 %
of our surveyed
audience said that
Open House had
given them a bet ter
appreciation of the
role of engineering,
construction and
infr astructure in
creating a good cit y
4 1 %
said they had
learnt more about
engineering from
Open House weekend
18
open house london 2016
Places and Spaces of the City with
the Landscape Institute
Promoting London’s public realm in partnership
with the L andscape Institute
When architects say that the spaces between buildings are more important
than the buildings themselves, they are only trotting out a line that our
partners at the Landscape Institute have been familiar with for years. It also
happens to be true. Think about it: a great city more often than not means
a city with an attractive public realm, something you can enjoy and linger in,
rather than merely suffer as you shuttle from home to office and back again.
As London grows more populous – busier, basically – ensuring
we maintain a generous public realm, from pocket parks where
you can lunch on a Pret sandwich to new large-scale projects like
the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, is essential.
As part of the programme this year the Landscape Insititute helped us
curate a number of projects that are not only at the vanguard of
contemporary landscape architecture design but also fit neatly with our
‘equitable city’ theme. Two examples, spring to mind: the restored community
gardens at Alexandra Road, the last council estate to be completed
in London, and the Derbyshire Street Pocket Park, a sustainable drainage
scheme that provides an open air community space for local residents.
Public spaces and
careful planning
are a necessity
if a city is to house
millions of people
and have a public
realm that is
worth living in
and functional
visitor
to Alex andr a
Road Park
facts & figures
3 5
exempl ary l andscape
architecture schemes
showcased
5 3 %
of our surveyed
audience said that Open
House had given them
a bet ter appreciation
of the value of welldesigned public spaces
and l andscapes
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19
Creating a Sustainable City
showcasing sustainabilit y
in open house london
Each year we highlight projects that are
making significant progress in creating
sustainable places – from large scale urban
planning projects to unique eco-homes
such as Chestnut Grove or The Pavilion.
top five sustainable
buildings in open house
→→ Guy’s Cancer Centre – A model of offsite
construction design and build
→→ 5 Pancras Square – good enough,
energy-intensive civic architecture
→→ The Great Barn, Harmondsworth – one
of the oldest buildings in
London – evidently sustainable
→→ Silchester Estate – a building
that feels like a place
→→ Southwark Integrated Waste Management
Facility – it’s all in the name!
Special focus: gardens in the sk y
Urban rooftops are fast becoming a growing
phenomenon in the city, increasingly used
as desirable features to attract tenants; this
year Open House chose to highlight them ahead
of the boom. This included landscaped roofs
at The Royal College of General Practitioners,
6 Bevis Marks and Watermark Place, where
Fletcher Priest Architects had converted
some of the 25,000sq ft gardens for Nomura
HQ into an allotment for beehives.
S av e e
d at
t h e ’s G r e e n l l
i
Cit y
ek w
Open king We
T h i n e p l a c e 7.
Sk y
ta k ay 201
9m
e at
5
1 –1 u t m o r n g .
o
ki
d
n
Fin sk y thi
n
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k
e
u
gr
org.
facts & figures
2 0 %
of our audience said
that as a result of
Open House London
they would be more
likely to find out about
green measures you can
apply to your home
3 2 %
of our audience
said that they had
learnt more about
sustainabilit y from
Open House London
20
open house london 2016
#LondonIsOpen
A partnership with
the greater london authorit y
This year Open House formed an official
partnership with the Mayor of London’s
#LondonIsOpen campaign that was launched
in the aftermath of the ‘Brexit’ vote. The
campaign spreads the message that London
remains united, full of creativity and open
for business, and shares the ethos of
Open House, which celebrates London’s
spirit of curiosity and Londoner’s desire
to work together and share stories.
To celebrate the partnership and
broaden Open House’s appeal to younger
audiences, a series of videos were created
which gave viewers access into some of
the most iconic buildings taking part in
Open House London. These included:
→→ Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood at the
Argentine Ambassador’s Residence
→→ Reality TV star Charlotte Crosby
(Geordie Shore) at Kenwood House
→→ Youtube presenter Emily Hartridge at
Garrick’s Temple to Shakespeare
→→ Comedian London Hughes at Churchill’s
World War II Bunker in Neasden
→→ Actor Anto Sharp at Trinity Laban
The videos were broadcast on social
media in the run up to the event.
facts & figures
5.8m
London is home to some
of the most iconic and
spectacular buildings
in the world and we are
so fortunate to have
this unique opportunity
once a year to explore
them for free during Open
House weekend. What better
way for Londoners to
come together and discover
parts of this unique city
they might not have been
to before – London’s door
is literally wide open!
Sadiq Khan,
Mayor of London
people reached
on t wit ter through
our #LondonIsOpen
campaign
annual re view
21
Audience Analysis
our audience
Based on audience monitoring and data captured,
it is estimated that over 200,000 people
attended buildings and events in 2016. The
following data is taken from results received from
1500 individuals who responded to our survey
on site or online either on or after the weekend.
Accessibilit y iniatives
Blind and partially-sighted people had the
opportunity to attend VocalEyes audiodescribed tours of four iconic buildings:
The Royal College of General Practitioners,
Watermark Place, The National Theatre and
Two Temple Place. Each tour was led by
VocalEyes describers with a representative
from the architectural practice or building.
38 52 %
I loved the whole
experience…
the feeling
of commonality
seeing others with
the green book,
wandering around
areas usually quiet
Visitor to guildhall
people from our
survey visited more than five buildings
%
of visitors took part
in Open House on both
Saturday and Sunday
83 76 51
%
say that taking part in
group tours enabled
them to learn more
22
%
say that listening to
specialists enabled them
to learn more
%
say the event encour ages
them to learn more about
architecture/design
open house london 2016
where they are from
74 %
from Greater London
13 % from Home Counties
10 % elsewhere in the UK
2 % Europe
1 % Rest of the world
Age r ange
24 %
25– 44
46 %
45 – 64
30 %
> 65
annual re view
23
Audience Analysis
Why are they interested?
33 %
Personal curiosit y
about architecture
4 % Professional interest
14 % Interest in
cultur al events
37 % Want the opportunit y
to learn more
about the cit y
12 % Other reasons
Number of times
taking part in Open
House London
16%
once
44%
2 – 5 times
40 %
More than 5 times
24
open house london 2016
Open House Junior
Activities included
activities for all ages
Young people should have the chance
to engage with their city too, so every
year we run a programme of activities for
families alongside Open House London
to inspire the next generation.
Cit y of A Thousand
Architects at Cit y Hall
→→ With a bird’s eye view of the
city, from London’s Living
Room at City Hall, families
learnt about planning
and infrastructure in a
fun and informal way.
→→ Over 200 children took part
Build a View Shaper at 30
St Mary A xe (The Gherkin)
→→ As part of the City of
London’s Sculpture in the
City 2016 programme, and
inspired by the sculptures
around the ‘Gherkin’
→→ 250 children created
framed views and added
them together to create
a mega structure
Structur ally Found
→→ An Instagram and Twitter
competition to take and
share photos of structural
engineering elements,
encouraging the public
to think about what keeps
London standing up
→→ 3000+ entries made
to the competition
It was lovely to
stop and observe
buildings with my
children in places
most people
walk through
parent at ‘build
a view shaper’
annual re view
Scale Up! at riba
→→ Children and their families
learnt about scale and
created replicas of key
London buildings. Inspired
by the Skyline Chess and with
help from architects, largescale drawings of buildings,
including the ‘Gherkin’ and
The Shard were created
to construct a skyline.
→→ 100 families took part
25
Volunteer Programme
open house london volunteers
The Open House event simply would not be
possible without our volunteers who give their
time over the weekend to make it happen. The
administration behind an event of this size is
demanding and it is a testament to the patience
of our volunteers that we are able to produce
such a wide and diverse programme.
As part of our programme, volunteers are
offered support and information giving an
enhanced learning experience including:
→→ briefings
→→ training sessions
→→ fact sheets
→→ toolkits
this year
1 011
volunteers stationed at
buildings over the weekend
3 81
2 4
new volunteers
I wanted to meet new
people and get to know
more about my
neighbourhood and one
specific building, its owners
and about how it was
designed
core volunteers giving ongoing
commitment in the Open Cit y
office year-round
114 at tended our annual briefing session,
this year held at Senate House
2 00 + volunteers at tended our annual thank
you part y held at The Angel Building
26
open house london 2016
Having visited a
number of building over
the past few years I wanted
to ‘give something back’ to
the community and help
while being a part of the
organising team
I wanted to
participate in an
event that promotes
the best of London,
whilst meeting more
Londoners
Our volunteers
35 %
Age r ange
found out about it from
another volunteer
26%
wanted to represent
a local area
74%
explored a new area
through volunteering
56 %
6 %
18 – 25
29 %
26– 40
33 %
41 – 60
32 %
> 60
chose their building
based on t ype
21 %
chose their building
based on period
97 %
of our volunteers would
recommend the
experience to a friend
96 %
of our 2016 volunteers
would like to volunteer
again nex t year
I wanted to
challenge myself
on my knowledge of
architecture by
being a guide
annual re view
27
r
you e
eed
ak
We n rt to m
n!
po
sup happe
it
t
i
Vis .org.
y
-cit
t
n
ope suppor
/
uk
28
open house london 2016
25 Years of Open House London
Even Victoria Thornton, founder of Open House in 1992, would
not have thought her simple, brilliant concept – free public
entry to London’s best buildings – would be a household name
and an essential date in the capital’s cultural calendar
a quarter of a century later.
With nearly 300,000 building visits in 2016, Open House,
simply put, is a sensation. Over the years, literally millions
of Londoners have enjoyed Open House. When we factor in
the Open House worldwide network, which covers 33 cities
spread across five continents, audience numbers skyrocket.
But it’s more than a numbers game. Open House also
encourages a deeper understanding of London’s buildings,
and the people behind them. And, as the programme has
developed in successive years, it has shone the spotlight on
the public realm and London’s infrastructure as well, proving
a holistic vision of a vibrant, working city.
Open City, the charity behind Open House, has extended
the reach of Victoria’s mission to promote architectural
literacy. Open City runs educational programmes, for primary
schoolchildren, for families, and for teenagers, fostering
a public interest in architecture, engineering and planning
at an early age. We work with communities too, and local
government, to increase public participation in the design
and development of London. For the professional sector,
the annual Green Sky Thinking week provides a knowledgesharing platform for sustainable design experts.
We plan to make our 25th birthday an Open House year to
remember, and one all of us here at Open City, and the people
of London, can be proud of. As ever, there is a price tag.
With no core funding we need your support to keep Open
House alive. The goodwill it generates towards the built
environment professions remains immeasurable. We hope
you agree it is a partnership well worth investing in.
annual re view
29
Open House Most Visited Buildings
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
30
building
number
of visitors
opening
days
banqueting house
6,300
sat / sun
foreign &
commonwealth office
6,201
sun
The Queen’s Chapel
4,200
sat / sun
The UK Supreme Court
3,900
sat / sun
HM Treasury
3,740
sun
Crystal Pal ace Subway
3,700
sat / sun
Royal Courts of Justice
3,500
sat
Argentine
Ambassador’s Residence
3,500
sat / sun
Marlborough House
2,808
sat
cit y hall
2,378
sat
open house london 2016
Open House Analysis by Borough
30 london boroughs showcased in open house london
Open House London is in part funded by individual local
authorities. Each local authority’s participation represents
their borough being part of this capital-wide event, and
is an opportunity to showcase both architectural heritage
and investment in the future.
From feedback in our surveys, year on year we have
found that the event is recognised for generating
community involvement and pride in inviting visitors from
all over London to explore new areas.
The event presents a significant opportunity to respond
to local policy, in that it reinforces the work local
authorities are continuing to do in shaping great places
to live, and their role in bringing about change.
The following pages present detailed statistics specific
to each borough that participated in 2016.
annual review
31
Barking & Dagenham
overview
Bold experiments in housing, colourful
new offices – there is no doubt this is one of
London’s next big growth areas. Open House
highlighted development of the borough
over the last century, from the 1920s
Becontree Estate to some of the borough’s
key regeneration hubs. Notably, L&Q offered
tours of Barking Riverside, one of the largest
regeneration sites in the UK today.
demogr aphics
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
12 16–24
progr amme entries
25–44
9%
1
45–64
60%
65+
26%
new entry
64 %
45 %
73 %
9 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
18 %
local visitors
other lONDON BOROUGHS
5%
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
FROM OUTSIDE OF LONDON
press & media cover age
1NATIONAL PIECE
1 local & regional piece
1 consumer piece
Coverage included Evening
Standard, Time Out London and
Barking and Dagenham Post
Living and working in the
Dagenham/Barking area
most of my life I have always
wanted to get involved
in the re-generation and
maintenance of the boroughs
interesting buildings
and that’s why I chose
to volunteer at Eastbury
Manor House.
32
open house london 2016
Barnet
overview
Created in 1965 from suburban areas of
Hertfordshire and Middlesex, Barnet is one of
the largest London boroughs. Activity over Open
House London is focused around Hampstead
Garden Suburb, with well-attended tours of this
fine example of early 20C residential planning.
summary
Visitors’ Age r ange
visitors’
9
16–247%
progr amme entries
25–4414%
1
45–6443%
new entries
demogr aphics
43 %
33 %
81 %
5 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
14 %
local visitors
65+36%
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
2 local / regional pieces
Coverage included
Barnet and Whetstone Press
I learned about
treasures I’d never heard
of before including
a local stately home
(Wrotham Park).
annual re view
33
Brent
overview
An outer borough that reaches into central
London, Brent is looking to the future with a
strikingly modern Civic Centre and a number
of major regeneration projects. Working with
Quintain, Open House highlighted the Wembley
Park development with tours of the masterplan
and London Designer Outlet. Neasden’s
Mandir temple, an Open House favourite,
again proved popular with 2180 visitors.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
10
16–246%
progr amme entries
25–4437%
1
45–6448%
new entries
65+10%
press & media cover age
2 local / regional pieces
1Online piece
Coverage included
Brent & Kilburn Times,
The Wharf and BBC Travel
The WW2 underground
bunker in Neasden was
well worth the trip
all the way out there!
demogr aphics
56 %
22 %
78 %
11 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
11 %
local visitors
34
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
open house london 2016
Camden
overview
Camden has a high number of architectural
highlights with over 5000 historic buildings.
Our programme this year offered a mix of styles
including examples from the borough’s ‘golden
era’ of social housing, plus contemporary
residences and offices including the awardwinning 5 Pancras Square. It was again one
of the more popular boroughs with 20,711
unique visits taking place over the weekend.
demogr aphics
summary
Visitors’ Age r ange
visitors’
60
16–248%
progr amme entries
25–4428%
7
45–6435%
new entries
3 %
29 %
82 %
6 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
12 %
local visitors
65+29%
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
6NATIONAL PIECES
5 local / regional pieces
4 tr ade pieceS
5 Consumer /
online pieces
Coverage included
The Guardian, The Times,
Metro and Ham and High
Mansfield Road was
fantastic – the building
is local to me and I’ve
always been intrigued by
the flats within, as I’ve
learnt more about midcentury housing projects.
annual re view
35
City of London
overview
The historic heart of London’s original
Roman settlement and more recently known
as the world’s financial capital. With a
concentrated crop of skyscrapers, it proves
every year to be one of the most popular
boroughs for Open House visitors, with 30
St Mary Axe (‘The Gherkin’) still drawing
the queues after over 10 years. In total
over 50,000 unique visits took place.
demogr aphics
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
60
16–246%
progr amme entries
25–4422%
9
45–6442%
new entries
2 %
38 %
75 %
14 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
11 %
local visitors
65+31%
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
12 NATIONAL PIECES
6 local / regional pieces
8tr ade pieceS
8 consumer / online pieces
Coverage included
The Independent, Evening
Standard, CNN, Architects
Journal and ITV News
All visits were interesting,
but I was treated to maybe
the best talk about London
history I’d ever heard at
Billingsgate Roman bath.
36
open house london 2016
Croydon
overview
With £5.25bn being invested into developing the
borough’s commercial centre, the programme
put an emphasis on the council’s ambitious
plans with schemes such as Ruskin Square
offering site tours. The council’s own BREEAM
‘Excellent’ offices were also featured,as well
as a number of the borough’s 150 listed
buildings, including Britain’s first airport terminal
and the grand Edwardian Stanley Halls.
demogr aphics
14
16–245%
progr amme entries
25–4429%
3
45–6446%
new entries
local visitors
65+20%
17 %
6 %
27 %
6 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
67 %
Visitors’ Age r ange
visitors’
summary
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
2 local / regional pieces
1 online piece
Coverage included Croydon
Guardian and BBC Autos
I have lived in the area all my
life and this was my chance
to visit the Whitgift
Almshouse, somewhere I
have only ever walked past.
annual re view
37
Ealing
overview
Open House reflected the wide variety of
styles on offer in this suburb – from the lavishly
eccentric White House to quaint churches
and innovative eco-friendly contemporary
homes such as Bluebell House or Villa
Caroisla. Visitors had the chance to tour
two of Sir John Soane’s creations – Norwood
Hall and Pitzhanger Manor House, the
latter currently undergoing restoration.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
16
16–244%
progr amme entries
25–4442%
2
45–6435%
new entries
65+20%
press & media cover age
1National piece
1 local / regional piece
1 online piece
Coverage included
Metro and The Wharf
The White House at Ealing
was amazing, I have
recommended it to friends
for next year.
demogr aphics
27 %
27 %
51 %
22 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
27 %
local visitors
38
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
open house london 2016
Enfield
overview
A London suburb not far from the green belt
with a charming ‘village’ feel, Enfield also has a
fascinating industrial heritage – King George V
Pumping Station, designed in 1913, is an Open
House favourite, and this year the programme
also saw tours of the Grade II listed Royal
Small Arms Factory. Development plans were
showcased with a tour of Meridian Water, the
biggest live regeneration project in London.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
Visitors’
17
16–249%
progr amme entries
25–4415%
1
45–6442%
new entries
65+33%
press & media cover age
2 National pieces
1 local / regional piece
1tr ade piece
Coverage included
The Guardian, Metro
and North London Press
The Lea Valley development
is a real asset to walkers,
we are so lucky to have it.
demogr aphics
33 %
11 %
61 %
17 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
22 %
local visitors
annual re view
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
39
Greenwich
overview
With the iconic buildings of the Unesco World
Heritage Site, a newly regenerated town centre
including award-winning University Campus,
masterplan developments at Greenwich
Peninsula and exemplar engineering projects,
architectural enthusiasts are spoilt for choice
visiting Greenwich. No surprise then that
as usual it was one of the busiest boroughs,
with 21,870 unique visits taking place.
demogr aphics
summary
24
16–247%
progr amme entries
25–4432%
2
45–6434%
new entries
local visitors
65+26%
5 %
30 %
52 %
18 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
30 %
visitors’ Age r ange
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
2 NATIONAL pieces
3 local / regional pieces
2consumer / online pieces
Coverage included Metro,
Time Out, Greenwich Mercury
and South London Press
As a architecture student
it has increased my
desire to see more of
the architectural presence
in Greenwich.
40
open house london 2016
Hackney
overview
The programme in Hackney reflected its
diverse built environment, with a mixture of
historic buildings and innovative contemporary
projects – including a number of award-winners
from the borough’s Design Awards Scheme.
This year saw a particularly high number of new
additions, including residences and a preview
of London’s new ‘home for making’ at Here East,
complementing the borough’s historic gems.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
Visitors’
42
16–248%
p rogr amme entries
25–4427%
14
45–6431%
new entries
65+34%
press & media cover age
6National pieces
10Local / regional pieces
4tr ade pieces
2 consumer pieces
Coverage included The Sunday
Times, The Telegraph, Hackney
Citizen and Architects Journal
I enjoyed the variety of
places to visit all in close
proximity – loved the
Hackney Empire, thank
goodness it was saved!
demogr aphics
8 %
19 %
67 %
8 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
25 %
local visitors
annual re view
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
41
Hammersmith & Fulham
overview
summary
From the grand 18C mansion of The Hurlingham
Club to Henning Stummel’s new build Tin House,
a tour of the Hammersmith buildings gave
exciting variation, whether in the quiet streets
of Chiswick or bustling Shepherd’s Bush where
massive changes are in the pipeline with AHMM’s progr amme entries
Television Centre Masterplan. Over 600 people
paid homage to the late Dame Zaha Hadid at one
of her few London buildings, Roca London Gallery. new entries
visitors’ Age r ange
16
16–248%
4
45–6441%
25–4424%
65+27%
press & media cover age
3 National pieces
4 local / regional pieces
2tr ade pieces
1CONSUMER piece
Coverage included The Times,
Evening Standard, Shortlist
and Architects Journal
Kenneth Armitage
Foundation was particularly
interesting as it was local to
me and a building that was
interesting both for its
architecture, history and
current use.
demogr aphics
10 %
29 %
67 %
4 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
29 %
local visitors
42
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
open house london 2016
Haringey
overview
Visitors to Haringey could go from exploring
late Victorian, Edwardian and 1930s buildings
of Muswell Hill with Hornsey Historical Society’s
walking tour, to seeing how contemporary
architects are adapting these buildings with
extensions such as at Pages Lane and 19 Mayfield
Road. The borough’s extensive regeneration
programmes were also showcased with a
tour of planned public realm improvements.
demogr aphics
23
16–244%
progr amme entries
25–4422%
3
45–6460%
new entries
local visitors
65+15%
20 %
15 %
58 %
9 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
33 %
Visitors’
visitors’ Age r ange
summary
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
7 NATIONAL PIECES
4 TRADE pieces
Coverage included
The Guardian,
Evening Standard, CNN, Dezeen
and Architects Journal
The Green Rooms Hotel in
Haringey was my favourite.
A blend of the recovered
Art Deco interior with
modern design. Since our
visit I have nominated them
for a design award.
annual re view
43
Harrow
overview
The original commuter suburb that emerged
with the Metropolitan line in the 20s and
30s, Harrow retains some fantastic Art Deco
homes from this era – some of which were
showcased at Open House with a ‘Modernism
in Metroland’ tour. The borough’s proactive
development culture was seen elsewhere
through the transformed Lowlands Recreation
Ground and redesigned library at Stanmore.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
13
16–244%
progr amme entries
25–4413%
3
45–6438%
new entries
65+45%
press & media cover age
1 local / regional piece
Coverage included The Wharf
I didn’t know Stanmore
at all well though and was
very interested to see
the area on the Modernism
in Metroland tour.
demogr aphics
38 %
30 %
49 %
38 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
13 %
local visitors
44
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
open house london 2016
Havering
overview
The most easterly London borough, parts
of Havering seem a world away from central
London. However, recent interventions
from award-winning architects, such
as in the village of Rainham around the
marshes, have had a profound effect on the
community. The borough’s heritage is also
to be celebrated, with the 18C Rainham Hall
recently reopened after extensive renovation.
Visitors’ Age r ange
visitors’
summary
16
16–244%
progr amme entries
25–4411%
3
45–6460%
new entries
65+28%
press & media cover age
2 local / regional pieces
Coverage included
Romford Recorder and
East London Enquirer
It was good to see so many
people at Rainham Hall,
making the building much
more lively.
demogr aphics
9 %
45 %
18 %
18 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
64 %
local visitors
annual re view
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
45
Hillingdon
overview
London’s most westerly borough, with a high
number of green areas and heritage buildings
dating from 16C through to 19C, mainly
clustered in the West Drayton area. Over
300 Open House visitors as in past years
were drawn to the impressive cathedrallike medieval Great Barn, Harmondsworth,
as well as the Jacobean Swakeleys Estate,
with its striking red brick façade.
demogr aphics
summary
13
16–243%
progr amme entries
25–448%
2
45–6473%
new entries
local visitors
65+16%
31 %
38 %
69 %
8 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
23 %
visitors’ Age r ange
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
2 National pieces
3 local / regional pieces
1 tr ade piece
Coverage included
Evening Standard and
Future Constructor & Architect
Great to see places not
usually open. Eastcote House
Garden was a discovery on
my doorstep.
46
open house london 2016
Hounslow
overview
With over 30 Grade I listed buildings, Hounslow
has much architectural heritage to offer – Open
House visitors had the chance to tour Boston
Manor House, Osterley Park House and behind
the scenes architect-tours at Gunnersbury
Museum. Newly configured public realm was
also highlighted in Brentford around the canal,
where a ‘floating high street’ and transformed
industrial sheds have transformed the area.
demogr aphics
15
16–246%
progr amme entries
25–4438%
3
45–6433%
new entries
local visitors
65+22%
31 %
38 %
77 %
4 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
19 %
Visitors’
visitors’ Age r ange
summary
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
1 National piece
2tr ade pieces
Coverage included
Evening Standard and
Future Constructor & Architect
Exciting, stimulating and
it really helped with my
historical understanding.
annual re view
47
Islington
overview
For one of London’s smallest boroughs Islington
has no shortage of architectural gems – notably,
four masterpieces in modernism in the form
of Lubetkin’s Bevin Court, Spa Green, Priory
Green Estates and the Grade I listed Finsbury
Health Centre. Open House weekend saw queues
trailing out of new additions Archmongers’ Clock
House and Paxton Locher House, as well as old
favourites the Angel Building and Union Chapel.
demogr aphics
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
28
16–248%
progr amme entries
25–4423%
8
45–6438%
new entries
8 %
20 %
71 %
12 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
17 %
local visitors
65+31%
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
4 National pieces
3 local / regional pieces
4tr ade pieces
2 consumer pieces
Coverage included The Sunday
Times, The Independent,
Islington Gazette, Wallpaper
and Grand Designs
Brilliant, I really enjoy
walking through parts of
London off the tourist trail
and meeting with local
people keen to express their
opinions about what is
happenig in their locality.
48
open house london 2016
Kensington & Chelsea
overview
The varied programme of Open House buildings
reflected the borough’s rich heritage with a mix of
private homes – from the eccentric 155 Holland
Park Avenue to minimalist 265 Westbourne
Park Road – and cultural institutions. London
landmark Trellick Tower was as popular as
ever with tours booking up in minutes, whilst
one of the borough’s newest housing schemes
at Silchester Estate also drew crowds.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
Visitors’
21
16–245%
progr amme entries
25–4425%
3
45–6451%
new entries
65+18%
press & media cover age
7 NATIONAL pieces
1 local / regional piece
1tr ade piece
2CONSUMER pieces
Coverage included The
Guardian, The Times, CNN,
The Wharf and Elle Decoration
Learning more about the
community at The Ismali
Centre and the way the
building reflected this was
eye-opening.
demogr aphics
5 %
35 %
78 %
12 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
10 %
local visitors
annual re view
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
49
Lambeth
overview
Extending from the South Bank and Waterloo
to Streatham Common and West Norwood,
Lambeth has changed over the last 100
years from a group of suburbs to one of the
most eclectic and buoyant boroughs in the
country. Visitors could go from Ted Hollamby’s
pioneering housing estates in the south to Pop
Brixton, an innovative workspace. This year
saw over 5000 visits, an increase on 2015.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
27
16–248%
progr amme entries
25–4429%
4
45–6439%
new entries
65+24%
press & media cover age
1 NATIONAL piece
6 local / regional pieces
2CONSUMER pieces
Coverage included Metro,
Lambeth Weekender, South
London Press and Shortlist
Pullman Court was amazing.
It was great visiting a bit of
history and a major piece of
modernist architecture by
seeing inside these flats.
demogr aphics
31 %
26 %
79 %
8 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
13 %
local visitors
50
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
open house london 2016
Lewisham
overview
Lewisham hosts award-winning parks, great
transport links and world-class education
institutions. Visitors could see some of the
major changes taking place, with landscape
architect-led walks in Deptford Town Centre
and Sayes Court (part of Convoys Wharf), as
well as discovering inventive home design, from
Walter Segal’s self build to Roger Stirk Harbour
+ Partners’ PLACE/Ladywell ‘pop up’ village.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
24
16–244%
progr amme entries
25–4440%
11
45–6434%
new entries
65+22%
press & media cover age
4 local / regional pieces
4tr ade pieces
5 consumer / online pieces
Coverage included
The Independent,
Evening Standard, CNN,
Architects Journal and Dezeen
It was really interesting
to see such a diversity
of buildings, both in terms
of architectural style and
function, in my local area.
demogr aphics
18 %
26 %
46 %
5 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
49 %
local visitors
annual re view
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
51
Merton
summary
overview
One of London’s greenest boroughs, Merton has
significant open spaces. As well as celebrating
the area’s rich heritage with inclusions such
as the much loved Wimbledon Windmill, the
programme reflected extensive new development
with examples such as YMCA’s Y:Cube.
progr amme entries
Supported by Circle Housing, we highlighted the
Merton Regeneration Project which manages
around 9500 homes across the borough.
new entries
demogr aphics
11
16–248%
4
45–6426%
local visitors
25–4444%
65+21%
33 %
25 %
46 %
4 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
50 %
visitors’ Age r ange
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
6 national pieces
4 local / regional pieces
1tr ade piece
1ONLINE PIECE
Coverage included Evening
Standard, The Independent
and Wimbledon Guardian
This year Open House
revealed a secret that I didn’t
know existed so close to
me and that I found exciting,
charming and spiritual –
a Buddhist Temple.
52
open house london 2016
Newham
overview
London is moving east, with Newham at the
centre of change – that’s easy enough to see
through the wealth of new developments in
the borough encompassing housing, transport,
education and workspace. Open House also
celebrated Newham’s industrial heritage
with tours of ‘cathedral of sewage’ Abbey
Mills Pumping Station and Old Ford Water
Recycling Plant, once again hugely popular.
demogr aphics
summary
Visitors’
visitors’ Age r ange
18 16–243%
progr amme entries
25–446%
3
45–6453%
new entries
10 %
46 %
66 %
13 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
21 %
local visitors
65+38%
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
6 national pieces
7 local / regional pieces
4tr ade pieces
3 consumer / online pieces
Coverage included Metro,
The Guardian
and Newham Recorder
I was totally won over about
Queen Elizabeth Park – I was
not convinced it would work
after the Olympics, but I was
bowled over at what I saw.
annual re view
53
Redbridge
overview
With Crossrail arriving in 2018, Redbridge
will be more and more popular as a new living
destination – exciting then to see as part of the
Open House programme this trend already taking
shape, with an interesting new extension at
Dangan Road by up and coming architects. The
programme highlighted a variety of different
styles and types of buildings, all reflecting the
boroughs rich mix of culture and heritage.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
11
16–249%
progr amme entries
25–4422%
1
45–6455%
new entries
65+14%
press & media cover age
2 national pieces
5Local / regional pieces
1 online piece
Coverage included
Evening Standard,
The Independent and
Ilford Recorder
An immensely important
weekend: democratising,
eye-opening and inspiring.
demogr aphics
20 %
80 %
16 %
3 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
81 %
local visitors
54
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
open house london 2016
Richmond
overview
Richmond is renowned for its historic heritage
and high proportion of open public space – t wo
key elements emphasised in the council’s
Development Management Plan. Open
House saw great variety, from the hidden
gem of Garrick’s Temple, Art Deco Mortlake
Crematorium, to contemporary residences
110 North Road and Fairfax Road. The borough
had 6895 visits, an increase on 2015.
demogr aphics
25 16–244%
8
45–6454%
progr amme entries
new entries
local visitors
25–4411%
65+30%
15 %
26 %
44 %
8 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
48 %
Visitors’
visitors’ Age r ange
summary
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
2 local / regional pieces
2tr ade pieces
2 consumer / online pieces
Coverage included Richmond
Life, Shortlist and BBC Earth
I spent an hour at Richmond
Lock, watching boats
go through and having
explanatory tour.
Very interesting; I only live
15 mins away but knew
so little about it or other
aspects of the river Thames
that were explained.
annual re view
55
Southwark
overview
Southwark is home to some of London’s most
significant architecture, so year on year is
one of Open House’s busiest boroughs. Over
2000 people came to see inside City Hall,
whilst quirky private houses in Camberwell
and Peckham drew visitors looking for newbuild inspiration. Further afield, Crystal
Palace Subway was one of the weekend’s
most popular site with over 3700 visits.
demogr aphics
summary
44
16–247%
progr amme entries
25–4434%
12
45–6432%
new entries
local visitors
65+27%
7 %
25 %
70 %
11 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
19 %
visitors’ Age r ange
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
6 national pieces
5 local / regional pieces
3tr ade pieceS
4consumer / online pieces
Coverage included Metro,
The Telegraph, Southwark
News and Time Out London
Open House helped me
to appreciate the diversity
of buildings in one London
borough – Southwark.
56
open house london 2016
Sutton
overview
Sutton’s green credentials were showcased
through Open House with tours of its pioneering
BedZED housing scheme, the UK’s first largescale eco-village, as well the BREEAM excellent
Sutton Life Centre. It also has its share of
listed buildings – the 17C Carshalton House
made a rare appearance in the programme.
summary
visitors’ Age r ange
Visitors’
11 16–244%
3
45–6418%
progr amme entries
new entries
25–4436%
65+41%
press & media cover age
2 national pieces
1 local / regional piece
Coverage included
The Telegraph, CNN and
Sutton Guardian
The volunteers on the
Heritage, Skyline and Vision
for the Future tour were
very welcoming and
so informative. The tours
were well led with great
knowledge and
a good balance of things
to inform us about.
demogr aphics
38 %
23 %
38 %
8 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
54 %
local visitors
annual re view
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
57
Tower Hamlets
overview
Few areas in London can match the architectural
variety that Tower Hamlets has to offer. Housing
in particular was a focus in the programme, from
the ‘last chance to see’ controversial Robin Hood
Gardens, to Lubetkin’s Cranbrook Estate and
the Stirling-shortlisted Darbishire Place. The
council’s clear commitment to regeneration was
showcased with various schemes including a new
community ‘pocket park’ on Derbyshire Street.
demogr aphics
summary
44 16–248%
11
45–6443%
progr amme entries
new entries
local visitors
25–4426%
65+24%
5 %
37 %
72 %
10 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
18 %
visitors’ Age r ange
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
7 national pieces
4 local / regional pieces
5tr ade pieces
2 consumer / online pieces
Coverage included
Evening Standard, The Sunday
Times and Architects Journal
Raven Row & 13 Princelet
Street were fascinating!
But the main point was
the sheer variety.
58
open house london 2016
Waltham Forest
overview
An established London suburb surrounded
by green of Epping Forest and the Lea
Valley, Waltham Forest also has a dynamic
town centre with a number of regeneration
schemes taking shape. Award-winning
housing at The Scene is one example of
this, whilst down the road the Grade II listed
pre-war former Empress Cinema has been
sensitively restored to a community facility.
demogr aphics
13
16–249%
progr amme entries
25–4438%
1
45–6413%
new entries
local visitors
65+41%
10 %
10 %
74 %
14 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
12 %
Visitors’
visitors’ Age r ange
summary
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
1 local / regional pieces
Coverage included
The Yellow Advertiser
It was impressive to see
the Beam Engine in motion
at the Walthamstow
Pump Museum – amazing
technology.
annual re view
59
Wandsworth
overview
Near the river, Haworth Tompkins’ impressive
new interlocking concrete spaces of the RCA
Battersea Campus has joined Foster + Partners
Studio as a new creative ‘factory’, whilst change
is in evidence with the regeneration of 1930s
Peabody estate at St John’s Hill, which creates a
new pedestrian highway between train stations.
Open House visitors also had the chance to visit
2015 Stirling Prize winner Burntwood School.
demogr aphics
summary
18
16–245%
progr amme entries
25–4416%
4
45–6447%
new entries
local visitors
65+32%
19 %
19 %
61 %
6 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
33 %
visitors’ Age r ange
other London Boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
2 national pieces
2 local / regional pieces
5tr ade pieces
6consumer/
online pieces
Coverage included
The Guardian, South
London Press and Home
Building & Renovating
It was interesting to
visit in person a building
that we had seen
featured on Grand
Designs and a
local school (Burntwood).
60
open house london 2016
Westminster
overview
Open House’s largest borough showcase with 84
buildings, Westminster is inevitably one of the
most popular boroughs for visitors, with 92,470
visits taking place during the weekend. Whitehall
had plenty of activity whilst over on Piccadilly,
Burlington House had over 2000 visitors.
New residences also made an appearance – a
conversion of a 1927 pub by Barbara Weiss,
and Jonathan Tuckey’s mews alteration.
demogr aphics
summary
Visitors’
visitors’ Age r ange
84
16–2411%
progr amme entries
25–4424%
12
45–6441%
new entries
1 %
50 %
77 %
15 %
of visitors to the borough
explored a new area
8 %
local visitors
65+24%
other london boroughs
will revisit the area
as a result of open house
from outside of london
press & media cover age
15 national pieces
8 local / regional pieces
2 tr ade pieces
5consumer / online pieces
Coverage included
The Guardian, City A.M, Chelsea
Today and Architects Journal
As a Londoner and
Londonphile, I thought
I knew a lot already,
but learned some great
new facts and saw some
things I hadn’t heard of.
annual re view
61
Sponsors & Supporters
Open House London starts each year with no core funding
The organisation is built on collaboration and partnerships
with the industry and wider community, working with
companies who share our aims and objectives.
Media Partners
partners
sponsors & supporters
also supported by
→→ Golders Green
Unitarians
→→ Hampstead Garden
Suburb Residents
Association
→→ Hampstead Garden
Suburb Trust
→→ Phoenix
Cinema Trust
→→ St Edward
the Confessor
Catholic Church
→→ Wrotham Park
Open Cit y
Supporters
→→ Allford Hall
Monaghan Morris
→→ British Land
→→ Derwent London
→→ ing Media
→→ Near Pixel
→→ Olswang
→→ Rocket Investments
propert y
owner
supporters
Thanks to the
invaluable support
from over 700
property owners,
representatives and
organisers for their
incredible goodwill
and energy
volunteer support
Thanks to
the architectural
and engineering
professionals
and thousands
of volunteers who give
up their free time
62open house london 2016
local authorit y supporters
pARTICIPATING BOROUGH
did not participate in 2016
10
2
15
14
4
6
31
19
32
27
21
22
Barking & Dagenham
barnet
bexley
brent
bromley
Camden
Cit y of London
Croydon
Ealing
Enfield
Greenwich
annual re view
3
23
24
29
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
11
28
18
1
25
30
7
33
13 20
16
12
17
9
26
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
8
Hackney
Hammersmith & Fulham
Haringey
Harrow
Havering
Hillingdon
Hounslow
Islington
Kensington & Chelsea
kingston upon thAmes
L ambeth
5
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
Lewisham
merton
Newham
Redbridge
Richmond
Southwark
Sut ton
Tower Hamlets
Waltham Forest
Wandsworth
Westminster
63
Credits
Rory Olcay to
Direc tor of Open House
London and Open Cit y
Natalya Wells
open house london
projec t manager
Rosalind Morris
Open House London
coordinator
(press & marketing)
About Open Cit y
Open City is London’s leading
architecture education and
advocacy organisation. We
champion the value of welldesigned places and spaces
in making a liveable and
vibrant city, and the role
everyone plays within it.
Founding Direc tor
Victoria Thornton
OBE Hon FRIBA
Open Cit y Trustees
Alison Brooks RIBA
(Alison Brooks Architects),
Richard Ehrman,
Stephen Howlett
(Chief Executive, Peabody),
Crispin Kelly
(Baylight Properties –
Open City Chair),
Helen Newman
(Partner, Olswang LLP),
Tony Pidgley CBE
(Chair, Berkeley Homes),
Nick Raynsford,
Alan Stanton OBE RIBA
(Stanton Williams Architects)
© Open City 2016
Registered charit y
no. 1072104
Contac t
To find out more about
getting involved with Open
House, please contact
Natalya Wells, Open House
London Project Manager
[email protected]
0207 383 2131
Open City
18 Ensign Street
London E1 8JD
open-city.org.uk
openhouselondon.org.uk
Design Antonio Bertossi Print Principal Colour