Celebrating the best local design and architecture

Visitors will be able to explore Ealing’s acclaimed buildings, heritage parks and historical properties for this year’s Open House London on the weekend of 21-22 September.

Open House London is an annual event that celebrates the best in design and architecture. On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September, residents will be given the opportunity to look around buildings that might not normally be open to the public and, in some cases, taken on guided tours. All of the activities are free.

More than 800 buildings are taking part this year, with 11 located in Ealing. Local highlights include the new Dormers Wells High School, Southall, Ealing Abbey, a private home at 44 Mount Park Road, Ealing, Pitzhanger Manor House and Gallery (PMG) and Walpole Park.

A specialist architectural tour of PMG will take place on Saturday at 12pm and artist Laura X Carle will be running a drop-in family workshop from 11- 3:30pm. On Sunday, free family tours of the manor house – guided by one of Sir John Soane’s maids in replica dress from the 1800’s – will take place at 2pm. There is no need to book in advance.

People can also learn about the improvements taking place in Walpole Park to reinstate its historical landscape by joining a free guided tour of the park on Sunday from 10am. Advanced bookings are essential, so please email pmgwalpole@ealing.gov.uk or phone 020 8825 6742 to reserve a spot.

On Sunday from 11.30-5pm, Gunnersbury Park Museum will open two of its 18th Century outbuildings, The Temple and Princess Amelia’s Bathhouse, where visitors can meet costumed character Princess Amelia. There will also be behind the scenes tours of the upper floors of the museum, as well as the Victorian kitchens where visitors can join costumed character James Hudson, the Rothschild’s head gardener. Local historian, Dr Jonathan Oates, will deliver a talk on Princess Amelia at Gunnersbury Museum at 2pm. No booking necessary, places will be offered on a first come first served basis.

Councillor Julian Bell, leader of Ealing Council said: “This annual event is a great opportunity for people to access some of Ealing’s best buildings, parks and historical properties, which are not usually open to the public. Open House London is a fantastic way to showcase the best of historical and contemporary design in Ealing.”

For further details on other buildings, parks and historical properties open in Ealing, please visit www.openhouselondon.org.uk

September 11th 2013