Bognor Regis Camera Club - Practical Visit Open House London Saturday 20 th September Open House occurs just one weekend a year and is the only chance to see inside some of London s most amazing buildings. For 2 of them, City Hall and Lloyds of London they are only open on the Saturday. Probably the best of the locations is City Hall which opens at 9.00am. It is important to get there in plenty of time before it gets too crowded. Trains
Note it is important to get a day Travelcard. We will use the underground a lot and even one Tube journey will equate to the extra cost over a standard day return. Also getting tube tickets can be time consuming and a major hassle compared with using the Travelcard ticket. Current online prices for a day Travelcard from Bognor are 22.80 standard or 15.05 with Senior Railcard or Network Card. Itinerary Summary Depart Bognor 06.39 changing at Barnham to the Victoria train leaving 6.49 and then change at Three Bridges for the train to London Bridge. Departs Three Bridges 07.42 with a destination of Bedford. 1. City Hall. Arrive London Bridge 08.15 and walk to City Hall near Tower Bridge. After queuing and a Security check we go up an elevator to the top. An outside balcony goes round the top room with views. Then take time to walk down the spiral staircase where there are many superb photo ops. Ideal lens for this building is a fisheye or at least a good wide angle. Take your time. At the bottom the exit is via a cafe where we can regroup and have tea/coffee. Pictures - https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=interestingnessdesc&text=%22city%20hall%22%20spiral%20open%20house%20london 2. Lloyds of London. Walk back to London Bridge. Take Tube on the Northern Line one stop northbound to Bank/Monument Station. Follow tunnels and signs for Monument Station and exit there not at Bank station. Follow map on page 4 below to Lime Street and Lloyds is at the end of the street. The queue will be round the block worry not, it moves fast, We should be inside within 40 minutes. After security we go up escalators to the trading floor, Lutine Bell, view up to the Atrium, lights. Next follow directions to the outside elevators on the far side from the Lutine Bell. Follow the flow through the Adams room and to balcony with views of the Atrium. On this floor it is glassed in. Get camera against the glass to cut reflections. Next floor down more views of the Atrium but without glass. Pictures - https://www.flickr.com/search?sort=interestingnessdesc&text=%22lloyds%20of%20london%22%20inside%20open%20house There is a cafe on the ground floor on the way out but it will be totally packed. Instead regroup for lunch at The Crosse Keys, a Wetherspoons Pub which has reasonable prices and should have enough room. See map further down. Easiest way is come out of Lloyds, go right and right again and through Leadenhall Market Arcade (great for pictures) Go straight ahead and you come out on Gracechurch St. The Crosse Keys is No 9 and is opposite and a little to the left. 3. 55 Baker Street. Walk back to Monument station and take the Circle Line eastbound line to Baker Street. Walk down Baker Street south to No 55 on your right past Dorset Street junction immediately before Fitness First with a very striking modern archway entrance. This is a new one to me but hopefully it will be less busy than some. Pictures - https://www.flickr.com/photos/edwinjones/galleries/72157646175932189/ 4. Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Walk back to Baker Street and take the Jubilee Line southbound 3 stops to Westminster. Head up Whitehall and take the first left into King Charles Street going through the arches. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is on the right. The queue here should be less in the afternoon but it does move quite quickly. Note that last entry is 4.30.
Pictures - https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=foreign%20and%20commonwealth%20office&sort=relevance Note After the Foreign and Commonwealth Office head back or at leisure to stay longer. Note nearly all Open House venues are closed by 5.00. If heading straight back to London Bridge for the train home go back to Westminster Tube and take the Jubilee Line southbound and London Bridge is the 3 rd stop. I would recommend a stop at Southwark Station en route for some amazing pictures. See https://www.flickr.com/search?sort=interestingness-desc&text=southwark%20station Note Bringing a tripod is not worthwhile unless you plan on staying for late outside shots. Tripods are either not allowed in the venues or are not practicable due to the crowds. The only possible exception might be a gorillapod to use on railings. Increase the ISO instead. Note use of Tripods is not permitted on the London Underground. Note Entry to all venues is free. Note On the day mobile contact number for Edwin is 07720 215024 Note There are no currently planned engineering work affecting our route by train or tube but that could change. Check the website by the day before for any alterations. More details and location maps for each venue follows City Hall The Queen's Walk, More London (from Tower Hill, walk across Tower Bridge), SE1 2AA, London, England http://events.londonopenhouse.org/building/8360 Home of the Mayor of London and London Assembly, an environmentally-aware building with innovative spiral ramp and fine views across London. Special Event for OHL weekend: City of a Thousand Architects junior activity in the London Living Room. Event Days/Times Event/Entry Details Last Entry Time Entry Areas How to get there Saturday 9am-to-6pm City of a 1000 Architects kids activity 11am-3pm. Last entry 5.30pm. Entry: London's Living Room, spiral ramp, chamber. Tube: Tower Hill; Tube/Rail: London Bridge; 47,42,78,381,RV1 Programme Themes Contemporary Exemplar AJ Library Building Type of Building/Site Civic Building Info Architect Foster Partners Year Built 2002. Period Contemporary More Info http://www.londonopenhouse.org/london/search/factsheet.asp?ftloh_id=8360
Lloyd's of London One Lime Street, EC3M 7HA, London, England http://events.londonopenhouse.org/building/3729 Lloyd's is the world's specialist insurance market which celebrates its 326th anniversary in 2014. It's roots can be traced back to 1688 when London's importance as a trade centre was dramatically rising. The Lloyd's building is world renowned, and a key example of British High-tech architecture. A RIBA award Winner, the building design contained many energy efficient elements for its time which have been improved upon in recent years. Event Days/Times Event/Entry Details Entry Areas How to get there Saturday 10am-to-4pm First come basis, queuing if necessary. Entry: ground floor, lifts, 11th floor gallery, Adam room escalators. DLR/Tube: Bank; Tube: Monument; Tube/Rail: Liverpool Street; Rail: Fenchurch Street; 25,40,35,48,344 Programme Themes Contemporary Exemplar AJ Library Building
Type of Building/Site Offices Architect Richard Rogers Partnership Year Built 1986. Building Info Period Contemporary More Info http://www.londonopenhouse.org/london/search/factsheet.asp?ftloh_id=3729
55 Baker Street 55 Baker Street, W1U 8EW, London, England This radical renovation of a 1950s office building transforms the site into an important new urban amenity. The scheme enhances activity and interest at street level by offering an enriched mix of uses and introducing a substantial new public space to the streetscape. Three glass infills or 'masks' span the voids between existing blocks to create a new facade for the building, with the central glazed section enclosing a seven-storey atrium which is open to the public. Event Days/Times Event/Entry Details Last Entry Time Entry Areas How to get there Saturday 10am-to-5pm Regular tours, first come basis, queuing outside if necessary. Max 20 at one time. Entry: ground floor and atria only. Tube: Baker Street; Tube/Rail: Marylebone; 2,74,30,113,274 Programme Themes Infrastructure and Engineering Type of Building/Site Offices Building Info Architect make Year 2007. Built Period Contemporary More http://www.londonopenhouse.org/london/search/factsheet.asp?ftloh_id=16915 Info
Foreign & Commonwealth Office King Charles Street, SW1A 2AH, London, England http://events.londonopenhouse.org/building/907 Grade I listed Victorian government office buildings. Former India Office includes the magnificently decorated Durbar Court. Event Days/Times Last Entry Time Saturday 10am-to-5pm Sunday 10am-to-5pm Last entry 4.30pm.
Entry Areas How to get there Type of Building/Site Building Info Entry: Durbar court, India Office council chamber, Locarno suite and Foreign Office grand staircase. Tube: Westminster; Tube/Rail: Charing Cross, Victoria; 3,11,12,24,53,87,88,159,453 Government Architect Sir George Gilbert Scott & Matthew Digby Wyatt Year Built 1861-1868. Period Victorian More Info http://www.londonopenhouse.org/london/search/factsheet.asp?ftloh_id=907