Open House Festival

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Prosocial space

Explore the history of social housing in the city and hubs of social change that have been at the forefront of radical movements through the years demonstrating that things can be different and better.

Drop in / Guided tour

Brixton Advice Centre

community/cultural

Brixton Advice Centre is an ordinary building with an extraordinary life. The only building in Lambeth with two blue plaques, the last building squatted by Olive Morris, final home of CLR James, windows by legendary designer Jon Daniel. The oldest Advice Centre in London. Offices of the Race Today Collective. See how we are still on the Frontline of Brixton and changing lives.

No architect name, 1902

Drop in / Guided tour

Central Hill Estate

housing, walk/tour, community/cultural

Tree-lined housing estate on the ridge of Central Hill & Crystal Palace, incorporating open spaces, views over London, gardens and sense of community. Rosemary Stjernstedt Ted Hollamby Adrian Sansom, Lambeth Borough Architects 1963.

Roger Westman, Brian Roberts, Frank de Marco, Adrian Sansom, Ted Hollamby, Rosemary Stjernstedt, 1963

Drop in

Cressingham Gardens

housing

Low-rise high density estate located next to Brockwell Park. Innovative design with pioneering architectural elements & echoing natural topography. Under threat of demolition by Lambeth council. Tours provided of estate and rotunda.

Rae Evans, Roger Bicknell, Don Eastaugh, Ted Hollamby, 1967

Deptford's history is mainly linked to the river, but it also has a rich musical and cultural heritage. This walking tour will explore the sounds of Deptford and New Cross, along the way telling the radical – and often tragic – history of this diverse area, from police clashes at the Moonshot Club to groundbreaking community arts projects at the Albany.

Drop in / Walking tour

People's Museum Somers Town

community/cultural, museum, art studio, gallery, walk/tour, event

A great little museum set in the Grade 2 listed Ossulston Estate - a prime example of pre-war Social housing - based on Karl Marz Hof in Vienna. Open Tuesday to Friday 9am-5pm, plus Saturday 14th, Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd September 11am-4pm.

G Topham Forest, 1927

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South Norwood Library

library, civic

The purpose-built library is a fine example of brutalist architecture. Built by Hugh Lea, Borough Architect for Croydon, in 1968 the main volume shows Miesian influence with an abundance of natural light, interrupted by a concrete cuboid.

Hugh Lea , 1966

The Lesnes Estate, part of the Thamesmead 'town of tomorrow', is at threat of demolition, resulting in the dispossession of the diverse and vibrant working-class community that call the estate their home. Join housing campaigners and residents to celebrate the estate, go on tours of the area, and hear from speakers about the process of estate regeneration, and its impact on communities.

GLC Architects' Department, 1967