Open House London: take a peek inside some of the capital's most iconic and quirky buildings during 25th anniversary year

Take a peek inside more than 800 of the capital's most interesting and intriguing buildings for one weekend only
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Becky Davies6 September 2017

One of London’s most popular architectural events is celebrating its silver anniversary in style, with every borough taking part in the Open House weekend for the first time ever.

More than 800 buildings - including 150 that have never been featured before - are opening their doors to visitors this year.

More than 250,000 people are expected to take a peek at, among others, the new New Scotland Yard building, One Blackfriars - nicknamed The Vase - and even an urban farm in Waterloo.

Other oddly shaped - and oddly named - skyscrapers can also be inspected, including the Cheesegrater and the Gherkin, while the iconic BT Tower, built in 1965 and long dwarfed by surrounding high-rises but still a futuristic landmark, is back in the event.

Hidden gem: Crystal Palace Subway 

Visitors on pre-booked tours even have the chance to get a sneak peek inside some of the new Crossrail stations that don’t even open to passengers until next year or later.

Also new this year is 184 Shepherds Bush Road, a vast former Ford garage that now features a huge domed glass roof handmade in Austria, and the Sun Rain Room in Wilmington Square.

Designed by Tonkin Liu, this two-story extension of a Georgian townhouse gathers rainwater into a rooftop tank which floods the patio at the push of a button to create a tranquil reflecting pool.

“We want Londoners to speak as confidently about their built environment as they do about books, music and art,” says Open House director Rory Olcayto.

“Getting the public inside great buildings and visiting places that are well-designed is the best way to do it.”

Feel-good design: Tonkin Liu Studio's extension of a Georgian townhouse includes a roof tank that floods the patio at the touch of a button to create a tranquil pool
Edmund Sumner

Also available for the first time this year is a free app for Android and Apple users, which allows users to see what buildings included the event are near them, filter buildings by the day they’re open, architectural style and even the period they were constructed.

The website allows this, too, making it easy to tailor a tour to exactly what aspect of London’s architectural history fascinates you.

Among the themed collections are Sustainable City-Making, featuring homes and workplaces using the most eco-friendly technology available, and perhaps most fascinating of all, How The City Works.

HQ: London Underground's headquarters at 55 Broadway in Westminster 
Ian Bell

This features buildings that play a vital part in the capital’s infrastructure, including 55 Broadway, HQ of the Tube, the often forgotten Richmond Lock and the Greenwich Reach swing bridge, which was only completed in 2015.

Hidden Gems includes the Art Loo, a public lavatory in Soho that is also a museum, and the Crystal Palace subway, a magnificent vaulted tunnel that once served the High Line railway station before it was closed in 1954.

Open House runs from Saturday, September 16 to Sunday, September 17. For more information visit the Open House website.

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