The London Festival of Architecture 2008 is a celebration and exploration of the city’s buildings, streets and spaces, aimed at Londoners and visitors alike.
The Festival runs from 20 June – 20 July and includes street installations, exhibitions, guided walks, cycle rides, boat tours of the city’s river and canals, parties, design workshops, debates, breakfast talks, and weekend street markets.
The buzz of activity will move across five key areas or ‘Hubs’, with large-scale public events taking place in a different Hub each weekend. Each of the Hubs covers an area with a very different character – historic, present and future – and full of different institutions and activities.
Headline events include lectures by leading international architects David Chipperfield, Daniel Libeskind, Cesar Pelli and Rem Koolhaas and by LFA President, Peter Ackroyd as well as Big Breakfasts at spectacular venues such as the British Museum, with speakers including Jon Snow and Janet Street-Porter sharing their views of London.
Specially commissioned pavilions will provide platforms for debate and performance, while new street furniture invites passers by to take a seat and look with fresh eyes at London’s public spaces.
Over twenty-five international embassies are exhibiting architecture from their particular countries, and a dozen temporary installations will occupy streets across the city as part of the National Architecture Student Festival.
The Festival involves the work of many hundreds of professionals and volunteers, and aims to provide thought-provoking new perspectives on London. Many events are free and open to all.
Visit the LFA2008 Headquarters between 20 June and 20 July to collect information and advice about Festival events, and contribute to our interactive exhibition.
LFA HQ will be hosted by New London Architecture at the Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT.
