http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/topstories/display.var.528211.0.its_open_house_at_500_london_landmarks.php
30 St Mary Axe, or the "Gherkin", is a must-see Open House this weekend.
By Martina Smit
Imagine gaping at 360 degrees of London skyline from the Gherkin, or grasping the mind-boggling design of the new Wembley stadium.
This weekend Londoners can experience it first hand. More than 500 otherwise closed buildings across the capital will open their doors to the public on September 18 and 19.
Last year's Open House weekend saw 350,000 visits to architectural icons throughout London.
This year an even wider variety of buildings is on show. They range from wartime bunkers, historical castles and royal residences to ultra-modern office blocks, art spaces and transport hubs.
For the first time, five major construction sites have joined the event to highlight the engineering that forms the backbone of any city. The public will be able to see how the new Wembley Stadium, Heathrow airports' Terminal 5 and St Pancras International station take shape. Engineers and architects will be on hand to answer questions.
The "Gherkin" at 30 St Mary Axe, one of the newest additions to London's skyline, is the weekend's must-see. Other rooms at the top which will give you a bird's eye view of London include the More London offices overlooking Tower Bridge and Bancroft School in East London.
City Hall on the South Bank, home to the London Mayor, and the Millennium Primary School in Greenwich are among the eco-friendly buildings to visit. A dance event at the Glasshouse of Jerwood Space, a rehearsal studio on the South Bank, will explore its unique architecture.
To see how architecture regenerates public space, visit the award-winning BBC Media Village in White City. Or take a coach tour of the A13 Artscape Project, which transformed a major artery with landscaping, sculptures and lighting.
The Docklands Light Railway will run live on-board commentaries on unusual venues in Docklands and Greenwich. Tours start at Tower Gateway and can be joined with a Travelcard.
The programme is organised by the architecture education charity Open House. Victoria Thornton, director, comments: "Architecture is rightly considered a symbol of a city's culture, its identity and its personality, and the weekend is a celebration of all of this."
All access is free of charge.
a.. The Buildings Guide is available free from libraries in participating boroughs or online at the London Open House website. For more information, call 090001 600 601 (60p/min).
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