Kensington Open House London and Chelsea
Self-Guided Itinerary Nearest station: Highstreet Kensington Leighton House Museum, 12 Holland Park Rd, Kensington, London W14 8LZ
Originally the studio home of Lord Leighton, President of the Royal Academy, the house is one of the most remarkable buildings of 19C. The museum houses an outstanding collection of high Victorian art, including works by Leighton him- self.
Directions: Walk south-west on Kensington High St/A315 towards Wrights Ln > Turn right onto Melbury Rd > Turn left onto Holland Park Rd 10 min (0.5 mi)
18 Stafford Terrace, Kensington, London W8 7BH
From 1875, the home of the Punch cartoonist Edward Linley Sambourne, his wife Marion, their two children and their live-in servants. The house is recognised as the best surviving example of a late Victorian middle-class home in the UK.
Directions: Walk north-east on Holland Park Rd towards St Mary Abbots Terrace > Turn right onto Melbury Rd > Turn left onto Kensington High St/A315 > Turn left onto Phillimore Gardens > Turn right onto Stafford Terrace 8 min (0.4 mi)
Kensington Palace Gardens, London
This wide open street runs alongside Kensington Gardens and features stereotypical architecture of the area. Large family homes line the street, most are now occupied by Embassies or other cultural companies.
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Directions: Walk north-east on Stafford Terrace towards Argyll Rd > Turn right onto Argyll Rd > Turn left onto Kensington High St/A315 > Turn left onto Kensington Palace Gardens 14 min (0.7 mi)
Embassy of Slovakia, Kensington, London W8 4QY
Modern Brutalist-style building awarded by RIBA in 1971. The building of the former Czech- oslovak Embassy is made of reinforced concrete panels and long glass rows of windows with wooden partitions separating the interior spaces.
Directions: Walk north on Kensington Palace Gardens to- wards Palace Garden Mews, destination will be on the left 5 min (0.2 mi)
Embassy of Estonia, 44 Queen’s Gate Terrace, South Kensington, London SW7 5PJ
Representing Neo-Classicist style characteristic of the mid-19C, many of the details of the house have been restored to their original splendour. The interior design is inspired by Estonian na- ture: swamps, lakes and forests.
Directions: Walk south on Kensington Palace Gardens to- wards Palace Garden Mews > Turn left onto Kensington High St/A315 > Continue to follow A315 > Turn right onto Palace Gate/B325 > Continue to follow B325 > Turn left onto Queen’s Gate Terrace, destination will be on the left 19 min (1.0 mi)
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Dana Research Centre and Library, 165 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5HD A world-class environment for academic research into the Museum’s collections. A double layer of steel-perforated panels lines the double-height glazing that dominates the reading room, dap- pling sunlight to create an inspirational space.
Directions: Walk east on Queen’s Gate Terrace towards Gore St > Turn right onto Queen’s Gate > Turn left onto Elvaston Pl > Turn right onto Queen’s Gate, destination will be on the left 5 min (0.3 mi)
Institut Français du Royaume Uni, 17 Queensbery Pl, Kensington, London SW7 2DT 1939 Art Deco Grade II listed building refur- bished in 1950, then restructured and modern- ised in 2014. Contains an authentically classic cinema, private salons and multimedia library.
Directions: Walk south on Queen’s Gate towards Museum Ln > Turn left towards Cromwell Rd/A4 > Turn right towards Cromwell Rd/A4 > Turn left onto Crom- well Rd/A4 > Turn right onto Cromwell Pl > Turn right onto Cromwell Pl/A3218 > Turn right onto Cromwell Mews 7 min (0.4 mi)
Ismaili Centre, London, 1-7 Cromwell Gardens, South Kensington, London SW7 2SL Part of an international family of Ismaili Cen- tres, a religious, cultural and social space for the Shia Ismaili Muslim community. The serenity of the entrance fountain to the roof garden reflects Muslim traditions in architecture and design
Directions: Walk east on Cromwell Mews towards Cromwell Pl/A3218 > Turn left onto Cromwell Pl/A3218 > Continue to follow A3218 > Turn left onto Exhi- bition Rd > Turn right onto Cromwell Gardens/
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