The Views from One Blackfriars

A boomerang, or vase, depending on your preference has risen up in Southwark and at the weekend, there was a chance to have a look at the views to be enjoyed by the super-rich who will live within.

Open House – Going inside Admiralty House

Hidden behind one of Whitehall's classical facades can be found a building as old as the Times newspaper, and described as the smallest Grand House in London.

A modernist marvel – the staircase of Bevin Court

Hidden around a corner on a side street not far from Kings Cross can be found one of Britain's great post-war modernist buildings -- and an amazing staircase.

Free tours of Crossrail stations this month

As part of the London Open House weekend, there will be tours of four Crossrail sites to see the work that is converting them into future Elizabeth line stations.

Open House London tickets released this week

Details about which buildings will be opened to the public for Open House London weekend will be published later this week.

Open House Weekend Bookings Start on Thursday

The bookings pages apparently open tomorrow (Thur 18th Aug) for next month's annual Open House Weekend.

The Festival of Britain’s clock tower in East London

A remnant of the 1951 Festival of Britain can be found in East London far from the South Bank, but is, for locals, as vibrant a focal point.

Booking for 2015’s Open House Weekend opens shortly

The list of venues opening for this year's Open House Weekend will be revealed next Friday (14th Aug).

Stunning views from the top of the Cally Tower

150 years ago a meat market opened on the edge of London to cater to its growing population. To mark the location a mighty clock tower was built.

London Open House Weekend Bookings

The guide to the London Open House weekend will go live on Friday morning, and reveal the details of those venues that need booking in advance.

Pre-Booking Details Released for London Open House Weekend

OK, it's that time of year again as a green booklet flops into homes across the Capital informing us which delights will be available during the annual Open House Weekend.

Pre-Booking details announced for London Open House Weekend

UPDATE: The Open House website crashed, so online bookings will start on Monday at noon. To make life a little easier in the meantime, I have updated the list below to include the phone number or email address for those…

A Slightly Behind-the-Scenes Look at Kings Cross Train Station

When booking a tour of Kings Cross station with limited information about what the tour will include, there is a risk that it will be just a wander around the public areas, or maybe a good look around some of the building site that is closed off to the public.

A mysterious structure in the Vaults under London Bridge train station

Regular users of London Bridge station will doubtless be aware that the mainline platforms are raised a couple of stories above the surrounding road, supported on massive brick arches. These arches are visible in the form of roads that run…

Photos from the 18th Floor of the Broadgate Tower

Views from the tops of tall towers are always impressive, so the chance to go up to the 18th floor of a newish City skyscraper is not to be missed for us Tower Completists.

Open House – Bazalgette’s Western Pumping Station

Regular users of Victoria mainline train station may have noticed the presence of a tall brick chimney on the western side of the train tracks next to the river and maybe pondered its function. It is indeed a chimney –…

Last chance bookings for London Open House

If you were lucky enough to book the prize locations for this week’s Open House event, expect an email shortly asking you to let them know if you now find you are not able to attend as planned. That way…

Booking opens today for tours of the BT Tower

A few left overs from last week’s mad rush to book tickets for the London Open House Weekend, as booking opens today for the tours of the BT Tower and also bus-tours of the Olympic Park. BT Tower Tours on…

The other Open House weekend outside London

The weekend before London Open House Weekend, the rest of the country has a go at a similar thing, with its Heritage Open Days. Trawling through the list, below are my personal picks that are close to (and sometimes, inside)…

Pre-Booking Details Released for London Open House Weekend

Of the 757 venues that will be opening their doors for next month’s Open House Weekend, a small number need to be booked in advance – a policy that usually leads to panic stricken trawling through their website on Monday…

BT Tower to be open again for London Open House

Just been confirmed that the BT Tower will open again this September for the London Open House weekend, and tickets might be just a smidgen easier to get this time as they have “over double” the capacity that was available…

Pre-order the London Open House Weekend Guide

Even though London’s annual architectural feast / chance to peer in people’s private homes (delete as appropriate) is not due until the middle of September, you can already place pre-orders for the printed guide. I always buy a copy, partly…

Climbing up the Limehouse Accumulator Tower

If you use the Docklands Light Railway, you might have noticed a rather strange octagonal tower near Limehouse that seems to be sitting in an abandoned patch of waste-land. This tower, built in 1869 conceals a hydraulic accumulator that was…

A tour of Grosvenor House Hotel

Another of the Open House London events - a guided tour of one of London's more luxurious hotels, which is probably more famous for its basement, than for its rooms.