The London Society, a key player in the capital's urban planning scene since 1912, has officially taken up a residency at The London Centre, supported by NLA and the City of London. The residency was announced by the Society’s director Rob Fiehn at a special model talk at The London Centre on Saturday 21st September as part of the Open House Festival. 

 

Since its inception, the Society has aimed to foster a more thoughtful and structured approach to London’s development. In 1919, the Society published the Development Plan of Greater London, introducing the concept of a unified Greater London, an idea that would resonate throughout subsequent decades of urban planning. In 1921, they published the London of the Future, bringing together essays by experts imagining how the city could evolve, including realistic ideas such as the creation of a green belt around London and less realistic ones such as a now-famous plan to build an airport atop Hyde Park. 

 

Today, the Society remains a forum for debate on the future of the capital and continues its advocacy through contemporary issues like the provision of public toilets, an enduring problem in London, and the need for more bridges across the Thames—a concern dating back to the 1920s. In 2023, the Society re-published London of the Future, tackling modern concerns like climate change and the impact of artificial intelligence on urban living. 

 

Home to London’s built environment community, The London Centre provides new opportunities for the public to engage with The London Society’s ideas through tours, talks and competitions such as Love Letters to London. As Rob Fiehn said in his announcement, “Our doors are always open if people have ideas of campaigns they’d like us to look into.” With its rich history of promoting better urban planning, the Society is well-placed to continue influencing the future of the capital. Keep an eye on their events page to see upcoming events at The London Centre!