A SAVE event in collaboration with the LFA
Join SAVE and Alec Forshaw on a walking tour focusing on a wide variety of old and new architecture in Clerkenwell, a neighbourhood shaped by centuries of change.
Its village-like atmosphere – with its Green, church, pubs, and winding streets – sits alongside a dynamic mix of 18th, 19th, and 20th-century buildings, reflecting a history of transformation. Once a crime-ridden ‘no-go’ area, it became Islington’s first conservation area in 1968. Today, Clerkenwell is a hub for design, tech, and craft industries, yet faces ongoing pressure from large-scale office development.
On the City’s edge, Clerkenwell remains a site of competing voices, balancing heritage, creativity, and urban development. Part of LFA 2025 Voices, this tour explores how architecture is valued and reimagined for future generations, considering its past, present, and future. From the restored Sessions House to Lubetkin’s Finsbury Health Centre and contemporary architecture by Hawkins\Brown and Amin Taha, we will consider how architecture reflects changing priorities and power structures.
Alec Forshaw, a leading expert in London’s architectural heritage – a writer, planner, historian. Alec worked for over 30 years at Islington Council where he was head of conservation and design. He was also a key witness for SAVE at the Marks & Spencer public inquiry and he is the author of New City: Contemporary Architecture in the City of London and 20th Century Buildings in Islington.
Meet: in the courtyard of 70-75 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ
Tickets: £9 General Public | £8 Friends & Saviours | £7 Students (incl. Eventbrite booking fee)
Please note that these walks consist solely of exterior visits.
