Event

London Festival of Architecture at Fitzrovia: Things to know (2025)

1905 in fitzrovia
Fitzrovia Quarter

If you’re planning to explore London in June, don’t miss the London Festival of Architecture (LFA) 2025 – especially if you’re curious about how cities are shaped by people, ideas, and, yes, structures. This year’s theme is “Voices,” and one of the most exciting places to experience it is in Fitzrovia, right in the heart of London.

Let’s walk you through what this festival is all about, why Fitzrovia plays such an important role, and how you can be part of it—whether you’re a local, a tourist, or someone who just enjoys a good conversation in a beautiful public space.

What is the London Festival of Architecture?

The London Festival of Architecture is a month-long event that takes place every June. It brings together architects, designers, students, families, and communities to talk about how we shape the city – and how the city shapes us.

The 2025 edition focuses on the theme “Voices.” That means hearing from people who’ve often been left out of design conversations: everyday Londoners, marginalised communities, students, and emerging creatives.

This year, the festival isn’t just about showing off big buildings. It’s about rethinking what architecture means, who it’s for, and how it can become more inclusive, sustainable, and community-led.

Why Fitzrovia matters in LFA 2025

Fitzrovia has long been a creative corner of central London. It sits between Soho, Bloomsbury, and Marylebone, and has been home to poets, painters, architects, activists, and inventors for centuries.

Walk down any street in Fitzrovia and you’ll find Michelin-starred restaurants next to family-run cafés. Tech companies share space with design studios. It’s also where you’ll find RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) and The Architectural Association, which is why many call it the “spiritual home of architecture.

In short, Fitzrovia isn’t just a backdrop for the festival – it’s the perfect setting for the theme of “Voices.” It’s a place where heritage meets experimentation, where community and design intersect. That makes it a fitting host for events that celebrate dialogue, diversity, and design.

Let’s take some glimpses of how London Festival of Architecture is currently taking place in Fitzrovia Quarter – our beloved neighborhood!

 

 

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Welcome to the “Fitz&Sits” in Fitzrovia

Duration: 1st June – 30th June 2025.

One of this year’s highlights is Fitz&Sits – a trail of nine benches designed by emerging architects and artists. Each one responds to Fitzrovia’s past, present, and future.

The benches are more than just places to sit – they’re designed to spark thought, encourage rest, and invite storytelling. Whether inspired by local heritage, protest, or overlooked architectural elements, each design reflects the many “voices” that shape the neighbourhood.

Featured benches include:

  •   –  Seat of the Collective Voice by Kupkei
  •   –  The Leftover Loveseat by Marie-Louise Jones
  •   –  The Junction by Studio OleO
  •   –  A Bench of Our Own by Playful Matter
  •   –  Bare Things by Pei-Chi Lee & Asia Zwierzchowska
  •   –  Patiently Waiting by Studio This + That

A fun fact: Walk the full Fitz&Sits trail and you’ll rack up around 2,000 steps – while discovering something new on every corner.

 

 

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Explore Fitzrovia’s LFA 2025 events by type

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect, grouped by category to help you navigate the packed programme.

 Community workshops that celebrate expression

Engaging, participatory, and open to all – these workshops are designed to get you involved: 

1. Mural on Mortimer Workshop

Join a collaborative session to help shape a new mural for Fitzrovia Quarter. Meet your neighbours, share your thoughts, and work with a local artist.

2. Find Your Authentic Self Through Dance

A dance workshop to help women reconnect with their creativity and confidence through movement and storytelling.

3. Travelling Drawing Club @ Fitz&Sits

  • Location: Fitz & Sits (Howland St & Cleveland St)
  • Date and Time: Saturday 14 June, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Entrance: Free (booking required)
  • Organiser: Gilles and Cecilie

Pick up a pencil and express your view of the city through quiet, mindful sketching.

4. Let the Hands Do the Talking

Explore architecture through the language of hands.

5. Rethinking Architecture: Reverse Mentoring

A networking opportunity between professionals and students, with refreshments provided.

6. Neurodivergent Voices

A sensory workshop designed for inclusive participation.

7. Stories of Personal Landmarks

Explore the emotional stories we associate with place.

8. Gaza Reimagining Disability

Workshop exploring inclusive design in humanitarian contexts.

Talks that challenge and inspire

Hear from architects, campaigners, and designers pushing for equity and inclusion in the built environment. Here are the essential information of the industry talks:

1. How Are You Invested in Your Heritage?

Listen to the authoritative speakers share about all the insights of how heritage architecture speak to us and how they come to life through the hands that share intimate connections with them.

2. How to Make Buildings Fully Accessible?

Hosted by Barr Gazetas, this panel discussion explores how inclusive design can go beyond compliance to create real social impact and innovation, with sharings from experts ofarchitecture, psychology, and tech.

3. UIA Friendly and Inclusive Spaces Awards Talk

This talk highlights international examples of inclusive architecture, featuring award-winning designers from the UIA’s global programme. Learn how projects like St Paul’s Cathedral’s Equal Access transformation are reshaping the future of public space and design equity.

 Public installations that bring ‘voices’ to life

Fitzrovia’s streets become a canvas during LFA 2025, with a series of public installations that explore the festival’s theme of “Voices” through form, material, and message.

1. Think Twice by Calin & Bunyan

An installation inspired by the Bloomsbury Group and the environmental impact of fast fashion.

2. Middlesex Speaks by Studio Ply

A tribute to the now-closed Middlesex Hospital and the women who shaped its legacy.

 

 

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3. Fitz Together by Minifie Architects

A seating installation designed to improve wayfinding and encourage shared use of public space.

4. Seat of the Collective Voice by Kupkei

A sculptural bench inspired by protest marches and overlooked architectural features like cornices.

 

 

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Architecture exhibition with a global perspective

These exhibitions go beyond the local to explore how architecture can respond to social, environmental, and cultural challenges around the world. Here, each exhibition offers a fresh perspective on how we shape space – and how space, in turn, shapes us.

1. UIA Inclusive and Friendly Spaces Awards Exhibition

This touring exhibition showcases inspiring, accessible design from around the world – including a spotlight on the restored St Paul’s Cathedral.

2. Archipelago: Projects Review 2025

This exhibition will showcase artworks by every student enrolled in this school.

3. Platform for Unwritten Books (P.U.B.)

The University of Westminster reimagines the closed Tower Tavern as a space for shared stories, creativity, and informal dialogue through a “Human Library” of lived experiences.

4. Automated Teller Machine

Photographer Jenny Pagoni turns the everyday ATM into a visual monument of nostalgia and transition, captured during her 2023 visit to New York. Hosted at Fitzrovia Gallery, this immersive exhibition reflects on the changing face of urban life as we move from physical to digital economies.

Studio Lates – Behind-the-scenes access

On 26 June, several top firms in Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury open their doors for talks, exhibits and studio tours.

  •   –  David Chipperfield Architects
  •   –  Voices of KPF
  •   –  Building Voices by Elliott Wood
  •   –  Mentoring by Narrative Practice and Fletcher Priest Architects

Studio Lates offer a rare chance to see where and how architects work.

Walking tours that bring the area to life

Fitzrovia is rich with layered histories – and the best way to uncover them is on foot. These guided walks weave through the streets and stories of Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury, spotlighting the voices, communities, and landmarks that have helped define the area over time.

Voices for Humanity in Fitzrovia

  •   –  Date & time: 15 June 2 PM – 4 PM.
  •   –  Meeting spot: Outside the front of Russell Square Underground Station, Bernard Street, WC1N 1LJ

On The Beat: From Bloomsbury to Fitzrovia

  •   –  Date & time: 11 June at 6:30 PM, 14 June at 2 PM.
  •   –  Meeting spot: Tottenham Court Road station (Underground Concourse between Exits 3 and 4)

A two-hour guided walk connecting the voices of two historic districts, perfect to explore Fitzrovia in a whole day.

Fitzrovia quarter

Food & Drink Trails across the neighbourhood

Organised by the Fitzrovia Partnership, these Food & Drink Trails combine local discovery with delicious experiences.

–  Fitzrovia Food & Drink Trail – Savoury (10 June): Sample food and drinks from breakfast through to happy hour at more than 50 venues.

–  Fitzrovia Sweet Food & Drink Trail (17 June): Explore desserts, pastries and sweet drinks across the area.

To join, download the LoyalFree app and check in at participating spots to claim your free samples.

 

 

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Plan your visit to Fitzrovia for LFA 2025

While you’re exploring the installations and events, take time to experience Fitzrovia itself. Grab coffee at an independent café, explore a side street gallery, or stop for lunch on Charlotte Street.

Fitzrovia blends art, architecture, and community like few other parts of London. It’s the kind of place where you can come for the event – and stay for the atmosphere.

Fitzrovia Quarter invites you to be part of LFA 2025. Visit, participate, and let your voice be heard.

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