London Festival of Architecture

Every June, the London Festival of Architecture presents a month of exhibitions, walks, talks, lectures and installations at neighbourhoods across London, exploring the role of city-making and architecture in a modern metropolis like London.

This year South Bank is one of the festival's featured neighbourhoods, with a variety of events and activities taking place that explore South Bank's unique architectural history and heritage, particularly in the context of the 75th anniversary of the Festival of Britain that transformed the entire area in 1951.

Note that all talks and tours must be booked in advance online via the London Festival of Architecture website 

Free Exhibitions

Festival of Britain: Story of the South Bank

WHEN: From 6 June
Our new outdoor exhibition shares the story of how the Festival of Britain transformed South Bank into a place for everyone. Created with the help of London historian A London Inheritance, the exhibition shows how the Festival reimagined this riverside as a place for culture, ideas, and shared experiences - helping spark the transformation of the area into the thriving neighbourhood we know today. You can follow the exhibition across various locations along the Queen's Walk from Westminster Bridge to Waterloo Bridge.

Talks, discussions and tours

Unseen South Bank walking tours

A free walking tour in two parts exploring lost and hidden architecture that connect people to this ever-changing neighbourhood.

Unseen South Bank: Part One
Fri 5 June and Fri 19 June 
Explore the hidden history of North Lambeth, from medieval marshland and railway arches to lost theatres, old breweries and repurposed hospitals - a place continually shaped by the people who live, work and pass through it.

Unseen South Bank: Part Two
Fri 12 June & Fri 26 June
Between Waterloo Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge, this guided walk explores lost breweries, timber wharves, power stations and forgotten spaces, transformed by the arrival of Waterloo Station and the legacy of the Festival of Britain.

Waterloo and South Bank Wayfinding ‘Walk & Talk’

Tue 16 June
Join Lambeth Council, 5th Studio and CarverHaggard for an informal ‘Walk & Talk’ to discuss shared aspirations and challenges in a placemaking context, specifically highlighting the Waterloo & South Bank Wayfinding Strategy and new proposals to transform the Waterloo Roundabout Underpasses.

Panel Discussion: Community life after dark

Thu 18 June
Examining how social infrastructure and community spaces can reshape the night-time city into one where everyone feels connected and included. From extended hours, affordable and diverse uses, to the role of anchor institutions, speakers will examine what truly makes an inclusive night time economy and what lessons we can learn from elsewhere.

South Bank and Waterloo’s next decade of growth

Wed 24 June
This tour showcases the partnerships and investment reshaping one of London’s most distinctive, creative and future-focused neighbourhoods through inclusive growth. This Lambeth-led tour invites you to visit key sites of inclusive growth and opportunity, from the largest climate-tech ecosystem in Europe at Sustainable Ventures and London’s growing Health and Life Sciences innovation district, SC1, to key redevelopment sites and world-renowned cultural institutions that call the area home.

Illuminating Safety

Tue 2 June
This Making Space for Women event explores how lighting can transform underused spaces, improving safety, visibility and night-time economies.

Southbank at 75 – Architecture walk

Wed 10 June
Explore the history of Southbank's architecture, from the Mid-Century Modern of Royal Festival Hall to the Brutalism of Hayward Gallery. Join C20's favourite guide Philip Downer, as he explores the history and future of Southbank's architecture.

I Spy

Sat 27 June
A  family-friendly discovery trail linking four underpasses in Waterloo. Using playful prompts, observation tasks and temporary artworks, children and families are invited to explore, notice and reflect on these everyday routes, explore overlooked in-between spaces and share what belonging means to you.