Our next event is focused on a topic that should strike at the heart of all Londoners. London’s iconic cityscape is under serious threat from over-development as a result of aggressive plans to build skyscraper-style towers that look set to permanently damage our city’s beloved character and unique identity. Ever since the time of Sir Christopher Wren and his painstaking remodelling of St Paul’s Cathedral following the Great Fire of London in 1666, London’s architecture has been of perennial interest to observers at home and abroad.

Newsnight has already raised awareness of this issue, sharing striking images of how London’s skyline would look if all the currently planned tall buildings were built. This visual reveals the extent of the transformation of some of London’s most prized views.

Join Circle Sq. at Barbara’s office to hear from her about the campaign, its impact on development in this beautiful city, and what’s next, for the Campaign, and London.

The statement

The skyline of London is out of control. Over 200 tall buildings, from 20 storeys to much greater heights, are currently consented or proposed. Many of them are hugely prominent and grossly insensitive to their immediate context and appearance on the skyline.

Signed on 29th March 2014

Click here to read the full statement and see the signatories.

We have arranged an exclusive members-only evening hosted by architect Barbara Weiss, co-founder of the Skyline Campaign, to hear more about her fight to stop the devastation of London by badly designed tall buildings in the wrong location. Since its launch in March 2014, the lobbying group has garnered support from The Observer and the Architects Journal, and its statement has been signed by over 80 public figures, experts and community groups.

Milan-born Weiss has enjoyed an illustrious career, starting out at the Ecole d’Architecture in Geneva before transferring to the Architectural Association in London. Her experience includes time spent at design offices such as Philip Johnson-John Burgee, and Richard Meier in New York; Valle Broggi Burckhardt in Milan; and two most formative phases at the prestigious Stirling Wilford and Associates in London. Today, Barbara heads up her own firm, BWA, and is an Assessor for the Civic Trust and a number of other award committees & planning boards.  She is also active in mentoring young talent through the Social Mobility Foundation, as well as tutoring 6th formers from state schools on behalf of The Access Project.

Join Barbara and her team to find out more about the building proposals currently either consented or under review which threaten London’s distinctive skyline, public spaces and views – and why the pace of these changes should cause alarm. This is a unique opportunity to learn more about the issues surrounding this controversial topic as well as meeting some of London’s renowned architects, property developers and campaigners.