Buildings Across Wandsworth Taking Part in Open House Festival

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A rare chance to see up close the best architecture in the borough

A guided tour of the Alton Estate will be led by Elain Harwood of Historic England

The Open House London event starts this week, with a long and varied list of Wandsworth buildings opening their doors to the public.

Open House celebrates the capital's neighbourhoods and buildings, with a chance to see inside places not normally open to the public, plus neighbourhood walks.

The two week festival runs until 21 September. You may need to book in advance for some of the more popular sessions.

Learn more about the architectural history of the borough

The Wandsworth buildings and neighbourhoods taking part are

• Alton East and West (– A look at the landscaping work by the LCC Architect’s Department. A tour of the estate on Saturday September 10 will be led by Elain Harwood of Historic England.
• Battersea Exchange – A walking tour of this new mixed-use development off Queenstown Road.
• Battersea Power Station – A tour of the newly-open public realm
• Blackbook Winery – Visit this working winery in a converted Victorian railway arch in Battersea.
• Buzz Bingo Hall (Granada Cinema) - Grade-I listed example of the ‘super cinema’ of the 1930s in Tooting
• Emanuel School - A walking tour of the school, converted from the former Royal Patriotic Orphanage.
• Ethelburga Tower – A drop in of this tower designed by the LCC Architects Department
• Foster + Partners – Drop-in to see this purpose-built architects’ studio.
• Frame House – Drop-in sessions at this unconventional refurbishment of a Victorian terraced house
• Park Town Estate – A walking talk of the estate built between 1865 and 1904 designed to be a ‘Southern Belgravia’.
• Quaker Meeting House – A drop in to view this grade-II listed building built in 1778
• Ram Quarter – An architect-led walk and talk plus a tour of the brewing Heritage Centre
• Royal Hospital for Neurodisability – A guided talk by the archivist of this former Georgian villa.
• St Mary’s Church - St Mary’s will be open from September 16-18 for a series of interior tours, promenade music programme, belfry demonstrations and stalls, including an Autumn Fayre with local organisation stalls, food, crafts and produce.
• South West London Statuary Cycle Tour – explore the back streets, stop and chat about a dozen unexpected artworks in the public realm.
• Summerstown 183 will be presenting walks on the fight for women’s rights by the Corruganza Boxmakers and Planet Tooting, celebrating the contribution and heritage of migrant communities.
• Tooting Bec Lido – Drop-in sessions to see this iconic outdoor sports facility.
• Wandsworth House – A drop in to view this refurbishment
• Wandsworth Prison – Find out about the history of the Victorian prison with a visit to the prison museum.
• Woodfield Pavilion – Drop in and talks in the refurbished sports pavilion in Tooting Common

See more details and book online.

 

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September 9, 2022