Open House 2025: London’s Best Home Tours and Design Insights

When you think of Open House 2025, an annual citywide event that opens private and public buildings to the public for free exploration. Also known as Open House London, it’s not just about seeing fancy houses—it’s about understanding how the city is built, who lives in it, and how design shapes everyday life. This isn’t a tourist gimmick. It’s a rare chance to walk through architect-designed homes, historic warehouses turned into co-working spaces, and even secret rooftop gardens above Bank tube station.

Behind every open door in Open House 2025 is a story. Some buildings are centuries old, restored with precision. Others are bold new structures using recycled materials, solar panels, and smart systems you won’t find in regular homes. The event connects you directly to architecture London—not just the famous landmarks, but the quiet corners where real innovation happens. You’ll see how public building access is changing how people think about space, privacy, and community. In a city where housing is tight and expensive, seeing how others live—whether it’s a converted chapel in Shoreditch or a net-zero home in Greenwich—gives you real ideas for your own space.

What makes Open House 2025 different from a museum tour? You don’t just look—you ask questions. Architects are there. Builders explain their choices. Residents share how they use their homes. You might walk into a flat where every wall is made from reclaimed timber, or a school with a green roof that doubles as a science lab. These aren’t just displays. They’re live examples of what’s possible when design meets real life. And you don’t need a degree in architecture to get it. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a small London flat feel bigger, or why some buildings have windows in weird places, this is your chance to find out.

Open House 2025 isn’t just about houses. It’s about the hidden systems that keep the city running—the pumping stations, the old telephone exchanges turned into libraries, the council housing blocks with community gardens that outshine private estates. You’ll find design exhibitions London tucked inside stairwells and basements, not just in galleries. These aren’t curated for Instagram. They’re honest, messy, and real. And they’re all free.

What you’ll find below are real stories from people who’ve taken part—how they used Open House to find inspiration for their own renovations, how they discovered their favorite neighborhood through a hidden courtyard tour, and how a single visit changed the way they see their own home. These aren’t just guides. They’re firsthand accounts from Londoners who saw something unexpected—and decided to act on it.