London Festival of Architecture 2019: where to go, what to see and everything else you need to know

The world’s largest annual architecture festival is back and packed with hundreds of events
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The London Festival of Architecture is back once more, bringing with it a plethora of design-led events and activities for people to enjoy across the capital.

Last year the festival recorded more than 600,000 visitors across the month, and this year people will be able to choose between hundreds of events to attend, from lectures and exhibitions to installations and buildings to explore.

What is the London Festival of Architecture?

London is a global hub for architecture; it attracts students from all over the world to study the subject in the city, and around 22,000 people across the capital work in the industry — no great surprise in a country notoriously obsessed with property.

The festival, which celebrates London's place in the world of architecture, has been running since 2004.

This year it explores the theme of “boundaries” with more than 400 events take place across the capital, including walking tours, family activities, exhibitions, lectures and installations.

When is the London Festival of Architecture 2019?

The festival runs from June 1st to 30th.

Where is LFA 2019?

While there are events planned across the entirety of the city, there are four festival 'hubs' where there is a spate of significant architecture to explore, and a host of events being held in the area.

These are London Bridge, Royal Docks, City of London, and Heart of London, which covers the West End.

What to see at this year's LFA

Keen architecture students will want to visit the Studio Lates, where architects' practices open their doors to the public.

Each Friday night for the month of June a number of practices in one particular area of London will be free to visit, with each company putting on their own special event for those who turn up.

It could be a lecture, an exhibition, a drop-in design surgery or simply a party, but it will certainly be worth a visit.

The Studio Lates areas are Clerkenwell, Fitzrovia, Shoreditch and Southwark.

A few highlights to look out for across the rest of the festival include:

What Where: Crossing Boundaries in the Architecture of Sala Beckett

An exhibition at Roca London Gallery, inspired by the work of Samuel Beckett and exploring architecture’s ability to transcend boundaries.

All Along the Dock Edge

Intriguing and leisurely self-guided walk developed by artist Anna Gibb, revealing the rapidly changing face of the Royal Docks.

Does Empathy Have Boundaries?

An exhibition by Bow Arts exploring how architecture can shape or overcome the city’s emotional, mental, social, cultural, economic and ideological boundaries.

Do I need to buy tickets for LFA?

Happily the majority of the festival’s events are free, but if there is a need to buy tickets the information will be available on the event page of the website.