London Festival of Architecture 2023 - Exploring the World of Architecture
The London Festival of Architecture (LFA) is an annual celebration of architecture and city-making that takes place in one of the world's most iconic cities. LFA showcases a diverse range of events, exhibitions, and installations, the festival serves as a hub for architects, designers, urban planners, and enthusiasts from around the globe. In this blog post, we will delve into an overview of the event, highlighting its themes and providing a glimpse into five exciting events that you won't want to miss.
Source: London Festival of Architecture
What is LFA and what makes it unique?
The London Festival of Architecture takes place throughout the month of June and serves as a platform for architectural exploration, innovation, and dialogue. With a multitude of events spread across the city, the festival aims to engage the public, professionals, and students in discovering and discussing the past, present, and future of architecture. The festival showcases the rich architectural heritage of London while also addressing contemporary themes and challenges. LFA’s mission is to open up discussions around architecture, test new ideas and uncover and promote new talent within the industry.
What sets the London Festival of Architecture (LFA) apart is its exceptional people-led and collaborative approach. With programs carefully curated by event organisers deeply connected to London, the LFA embraces the power of collaboration. This emphasis on community involvement and creative diversity results in dynamic and captivating programs of events every June.
Source: London Festival of Architecture
What is the 2023 LFA Festival Theme?
This year, the festival's theme is ‘In Common’, this thought-provoking theme explores the shared spaces, experiences, and challenges we encounter in our cities. 'In Common' invites us to reflect on the spaces we share and how they shape our communities. From physical landscapes to digital platforms, this theme encourages us to explore the bonds that unite us as well as the differences that enrich our cities. ‘In Common’ allows us to rethink how we create, reclaim, maintain and govern our city to create a city which is truly open, accessible and safe to all, by looking specifically at what connects us and what doesn’t. Throughout the Festival, the various programs aim to explore and interrogate how the experiences we do and don’t have in common are central to the evolution and development of the city.
Source: London Festival of Architecture
Events to Look Out For
While there is a plethora of events to choose from (over 450 to be precise), if you have limited time here is our pick of events.
Walking the city – an ‘archi-crawl’
This is a must-attend walking tour of Clerkenwell co-hosted by our Creative Director Tanisha Raffiuddin along with Dominique Staindl and Hannah Cox. You will be accompanied by five special guests as they share their favourite places between Farringdon station and Exmouth market - Tom Ravenscroft, Kunle Barker, Shumi Bose, Vicky Richardson, and one special guest! This tour will feature stories and insights from these influential voices in the industry, ranging from architects, engineers, journalists, artists and placemakers. You’ll gain insight into what’s special about their chosen place and uncover common and uncommon placemaking themes. Prepare to be captivated by the striking designs, intricate details, and the stories woven into the fabric of the city. Don’t forget your umbrella for this one!
Date: 28 June 2023
Time: 18:00 -20:00
Location: The Castle, Farringdon
Healthy (Work)places for Women
An enlightening session by Women in Architecture that discusses the support offered by architectural practices for the mental and inclusive work environments. From addressing physical health concerns to fostering mental and emotional well-being, the event offers valuable insights and strategies for enhancing the overall workplace experience. Recognising the specific needs and experiences of women, this event aims to explore ways to create healthier and inclusive mental and physical spaces for women in practice. All are welcome - men and non-binary folk included!
Date: 15 June 2023
Time: 18:00 -20:30
Location: RSHP, Leadenhall Street, London
Re-imagining Brixton – Opening
An exciting event by BoonBrown that invites attendees to witness the creative revitalization of the vibrant Brixton neighbourhood, re-imagined as Common Land. Through an engaging exhibition and installation, you’ll get to investigate an alternative Brixton, exploring the possibilities through visualisations and the re-elevation of their studio building. The exhibition is broken up into three parts, A Brixton Colours Show, Common Land Conception and The BoonBrown Experience.
Date: 20 June 2023
Time: 17:00 -21:00
Location: Tunstall Hall
Urban Commons: How to Change Grey to Green
Hosted by PDP London, this workshop session was very successful in last year’s festival. In this year’s session, you’ll learn how to create green connections between people and nature. Using a toolkit with 12 scalable elements created for the award-winning Low Line Commons vision, you’ll get to investigate how this approach can be applied anywhere. Following Lunch, you’ll get to work together in groups to design and create a green neighbourhood using models and the toolkit elements.
Date: 03 June 2023
Time: 11:00 -16:00
Location: The Blue Bermondsey BID
Squint Opera X LFA Studio Late
An event held by Squint/Opera, who is renowned for their expertise in blending digital media and physical reality, specialising in crafting immersive experiences that leave a lasting impact. Their work ranges from reimagining the visitor experience of iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building to enhancing the immersive media at Battersea Power Station. Through a series of project presentations, talks and immersive demonstrations, they highlight the environmental, social and architectural challenges that London and other cities across the world face today, and explore how their projects merge the physical and digital worlds, to bring people together.
Date: 02 June 2023
Time: 6:00 -8:00
Location: Squint Opera Vyner street studio
Source: London Festival of Architecture
In Conclusion
As June arrives, the London Festival of Architecture takes centre stage, transforming the city into a hub of architectural exploration. With a month-long program curated by collaborative efforts, the LFA captivates professionals and enthusiasts alike. It is an opportunity to immerse oneself in the richness of London's architectural heritage while witnessing the city's ongoing transformation.
Mark your calendars, join the conversation, and be inspired by the London Festival of Architecture's celebration of creativity, innovation, and the power of architectural design. Click on the LFA Festival programme to find more event details!
Source: London Festival of Architecture