The Biggest Bunfight of the Year
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©NICK WOODFORD
FOR MY MONEY, the third weekend of September is the date a savvy visitor to London should circle in their diary. The weather’s nearly always lovely, the kids are back in school and visitor numbers are just beginning to recede. But there’s another reason to pick that time that easily outweighs the rest.
Open House is the biggest architectural bunfight of the year. The doors of approximately 700 buildings, many of which are usually closed to the public, are thrown open free of charge, under the auspices of the umbrella group Open City. Londoners go mad, trying to see as many secret gems as they can in two days. The most prized tickets are for the one or two heavy-hitters—landmarks the world knows, but you can’t normally get inside for love nor money. And they’re not always the obvious candidates. Years past have seen openings of the Swiss Re building (aka the Gherkin) and the BT Tower, both of which sold out in seconds, but last year I managed to get my hands on a pass to see the less well-known, but equally fabulous, art deco London Transport Headquarters at St James’s Park— London’s first skyscraper.
Even though the major attractions are for the speedy few, there are still hundreds of other buildings open, most of which are on a simple turn-up-and-go policy. I’ve talked about a couple of my favorites in this month’s “Around Town” column. But how to get the most out of the weekend? Open House is, like so many British institutions, a bit on the cranky side. There are things about it that no one ever tells you. I’ve spent many years figuring out how it all works and I’m still getting it wrong, but I’ll share the secrets I’ve found so far.
First: a whistle-stop tour of the sort of thing you can expect to see. Open House is all about the architecture of London, so it’s the buildings that are on show. However much people going to the Gherkin, the BT Tower or one of the livery halls might hanker for a bird’s eye view of the capital or a sneaky peek into private gardens, these sights are mere incidentals. Architecture in all its many forms is celebrated, so there are as many quirky modern buildings as there are ancient piles. Each one will have solid reasons for being displayed, whether it’s the latest design by Lord Rogers, a strange fake Turkish bath, an 18th-century icehouse, half a ship or a funky modern conversion of a Victorian terraced house with all the latest eco-credentials. Free notes are available about the architectural merits of each building, but there are also experts on hand and in the case of the contemporary stuff, often the architects themselves, to discuss their designs.
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©LINUS LIM
There are two dates to remember when planning a trip to Open House. The first, of course, is the weekend itself. This year, it’s September 17th and 18th. The other, less obvious, date you need engraved on your heart is the day the brochure comes out and booking begins. The website is being rather coy right now, but it’s usually the second week of August, so prebook a brochure online and relax for a while. Just make sure you keep checking on the status from time to time.
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COURTESY OF TOWER 42
It’s worth re-familiarizing yourself with what’s been open in previous years (it’s all on the website). In many cases, the same buildings will be open again, though, of course, there will be differences. Buildings that are very tall (and thus have great views) or have secret underground areas are likely to be extremely popular.
Often attractions already open throughout the year are also included in Open House. This means that if they usually charge, fees will be waived that day. Of course, it will also mean they could be crowded.
The principal frustration is that there is no central booking system. Every building has its own mechanism, so each place needs to be reserved individually. Sometimes you’ll need to be first to press a button; sometimes you can do it online; sometimes you’ll need to telephone for a place; and sometimes it requires a good old-fashioned letter. Don’t automatically assume that because your brochure might arrive a little later than those of British people you’ll lose out on the really important buildings, though. Last year tickets to the BT Tower were allocated by a ballot, which closed a week before the event, giving everyone an equal chance to apply. I was unlucky, but I couldn’t blame the system.
‘While to call it a military operation might be taking things a bit too far, the more precision you use, the more you will see’
ON THE DAY ITSELF, it’s worth deciding on a plan of action. While to call it a military operation might be taking things a bit far, the more precision you use, the more you will see. Many will disagree with me here, opting for the opposite approach, accepting they’ll never see 700 buildings in two days and choosing to wander around instead, visiting what comes up. If you do that, try focusing on a single borough. Local places are often linked both historically and architecturally. And check and re-check the day. It seems mad, but there are so many events listed in the brochure that my eyes start to swim and the words “Saturday” and “Sunday” start to merge into one. I have been caught out twice on that one. The other thing I have been caught out on, on more than one occasion, is our decrepit transport system. For some reason TfL (Transport for London) always seems to pick that weekend to do “essential engineering work” on the tubes and I end up having to go everywhere by bus.
For the turn-up-and-go majority of events, if it looks like it’s going to be popular, get there early, as places are limited and it’s strictly first come, first served. Last year, I had the humiliation of going to Linley Sambourne House in Kensington, queuing for half an hour and the barrier going down just as I got to the door. The woman in front of me turned and smirked, which I thought was uncalled for, but that just shows the seriousness with which people regard Open House Day. It’s each architectural enthusiast for himself.
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©GRANT SMITH
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COUTESY OF SHRI SWAMINARAYAN TEMPLE
I like to include some of the nuttier options as well as the historical gems—the modern designs, the weird conversions, the strange uses for old buildings. These have been chosen for the event because they have something exceptional to offer, and they’re often people’s private houses. The owners are so proud of their places that they take real joy in showing you around and the event becomes social as well as cultural. But that goes for the participants. Everyone showing you around, whether professional architect, amateur enthusiast or city guide, is a volunteer and they’re doing it because they adore the building concerned. In the case of the London Transport Headquarters last year, the stewards were all TfL employees, and equally as excited by the place as the visitors were. I am told places for guiding that day were oversubscribed.
If just visiting the various buildings of London isn’t exhausting enough, there is a vast range of walks, cycle rides, talks and debates connected with the event, too, all of which are also completely free. One last bit of advice. Keep checking the website’s updates and amendments section for last-minute additions to the cornucopia of architectural riches on offer—you can find some real goodies that way.
Open House Weekend isn’t the ideal introduction to London for first-time visitors. But for seasoned Londonophiles, it’s hard to think of a better time to come. See you in the line…
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