London architecture round-up
Festival celebrations, city-wide tours and William Kent at the V&A – we pick the top architecture events happening in the capital this season.
1. William Kent: Designing Georgian Britain
22 March – 13 July 2014, V&A
50% off with National Art Pass
Explore the fantastic designs of William Kent, the architect and designer who changed the face of Georgian Britain. This show features architectural drawings for prominent buildings such as the Horse Guards at Whitehall and the Treasury, as well as objects and designs from his famed commissions at Chiswick House, Wanstead House and Houghton Hall.
2. Building the Picture: Architecture in Italian Renaissance Painting
30 April – 21 September 2014, National Gallery
Free to all
This exhibition examines the ways in which 14th-, 15th- and 16th-century Italian painters such as Duccio, Crivelli and Botticelli represented architecture in their work. Using buildings as a narrative device, they experimented with notions of space and structure in both realistic and fantastical settings.
3. London Festival of Architecture
1-30 June 2014, throughout London
The 10th London Festival of Architecture (LFA) celebrates the amazing history and innovative architectural practices in the capital. The vibrant programme takes place throughout June and includes the Royal Institute of British Architects' Open Studios in Shoreditch and Fitzrovia, the Architecture Foundation symposium and a talk by Thomas Heatherwick and Dan Pearson about their new Garden bridge proposal. Visit www.londonarchitecturediary.com to see a full list of events.
4. Open-city architecture tours
Various prices
See the capital in a brand new light with a range of innovative and expert-led tours. Get snap happy with a range of specially designed photography walks, view the city’s waterline facades by boat, or take to two wheels to examine the stylish Art Deco suburbs.
5. Serpentine Pavilion
26 June – 19 October 2014, Serpentine Galleries
Free to all
Smilijan Radic has been selected as the 14th architect to design the Serpentine Galleries’ temporary summer pavilion. The shell-like translucent form will house a café, welcoming visitors from throughout the park to sit and enjoy their surroundings. Check out the Park Night series for a range of art, poetry, music and literature events.
6. 2 Willow Road
Free entry with National Art Pass
This unique Modernist home was designed by architect Ernö Goldfinger in 1939. Complete with specially designed furniture and fittings, there is also an impressive collection of 20th-century art including Max Ernst, Marcel Duchamp and Bridget Riley. The National Trust will offer a special late evening opening during the LFA.
7. Louis Kahn: The Power of Architecture
9 July – 12 October 2014, Design Museum
50% off entry with National Art Pass
The American architect Louis Kahn is regarded as one of the greatest builders of the 20th century. This exhibition shows sketches, travel journals and photographs. Highlights include a four-metre-high model of the spectacular City Tower designed for Philadelphia (1952-57), as well as previously unseen film footage shot by Kahn's son Nathaniel Kahn, director of the film My Architect.
8. The Bartlett and Architectural Association summer shows
Free to all
See inside the minds of tomorrow’s great architects at two of London’s internationally renowned schools. These annual celebrations give graduates the chance to exhibit their talent, from models and drawings to films, multimedia installations and computer fabrications.