British Architectural Tours, Building Guides

British Walking Tours, UK building guides, Great Britain architectural walks, English architects visits

British Architecture Tours

United Kingdom Architecture Guides – Great Britain Architectural Walks UK: Visiting Buildings

post updated 23 August 2024

Contact Isabelle Lomholt: isabelle(at)e-architect.com or call on 44 7952 149 814

Buildings in Great Britain – Introduction

Our British Architectural tours operate in Birmingham, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Oxford and Sheffield. We aim to add more cities soon.

St Paul’s Cathedral, London:
British Architectural Tours - St Paul's Cathedral building
photo copyright Nick Weall

British Architecture Walking Tours

London Architectural Tours

London is the capital of the UK. There is a wealth of architecture here – from historic churches and palaces to modern art galleries and offices. Key architects from the past are Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor. More recently architects such as Foster, Hadid, Rogers, OMA, Stirling and Piano have created major buildings in London.

Significant contemporary buildings include The Shard, Lloyds Building and the Swiss Re Tower. Key 20th Century buildings include Centre Point and New Zealand House. Older architecture of historical importance include the Houses of Parliament, the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace.

To take in these London buildings some walking tours require transport, typically on the Tube. Major clusters of buildings exist in Westminster, the City of London and the Isle of Dogs. Important architecture is also scattered throughout the West End and in Kensington & Chelsea

London Architecture Walking Tours
British Architectural Tours - London Eye
image © Nick Weall

Liverpool Architectural Tours

Liverpool is located in the north west of England, on the River Mersey as it meets the Irish Sea. The city is famous for historic architecture such as the Anglican and Catholic Cathedral buildings, for the Three Graces on the waterfront, and for the pioneering Oriel Chambers building.

Famous architects with buildings in the city include James Stirling, Gilbert Scott, CR Cockerell and Richard Norman Shaw. Other key architects with work in the city include 3XN, BDP, Wilkinson Eyre, AHMM and Alfred Waterhouse.

Liverpool was European City of Architecture in 2008.

Liverpool Architecture Walking Tours, UK : Latest UK Architectural Guide
Museum of Liverpool building
photograph © Pete Carr

Cambridge Architectural Tours

Cambridge is located in the south east of England, about an hour’s drive north east from London.

Famous architects with buildings in the city include Sir Christopher Wren, James Stirling and Foster + Partners. Other key architects who have completed buildings in the city include Leslie Martin, Powell & Moya Architects, Gillespie Kidd & Coia and more recently Edward Cullinan Architects. All these feature on our Cambridge Architecture Tours but note the Schlumberger Cambridge Research Center by Sir Michael Hopkins and Partners is quite a walk west of the city.

The city is famous for its old and distinguished University buildings. Like its twin city Oxford it has much brilliant historic and contemporary architecture. Cambridge is set on the River Cam and many of the colleges back onto gardens along the river, called The Backs, giving the city a lot of its charm. Each college competes against the other to attain better and more beautiful architecture.

Cambridge Architectural Walking Tours
Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge building
photo © Hufton+Crow

Edinburgh Architectural Tours

Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland. Our most popular Walking Tour is the Old Town. We look at contemporary architecture within the context of the historic environment, with information on buildings + architects. The Old Town tour typically takes three hours and takes in buildings such as the Scottish Parliament and the Museum of Scotland. Smaller contemporary buildings such as Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre are also popular with visitors.

We also do New Town walking tours and occasionally guide in the historic port of Leith where there is a range of ancient and contemporary Scottish architecture. Finally, Edinburgh Bus Tours to outlying buildings in the city and surrounding area are also offered.

Edinburgh Architecture Walking Tours
National Museum of Scotland building interior
photo © Paul-Riddle.com

Glasgow Architectural Tours

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland. The notable architects with work in the city are Rennie Mackintosh and ‘Greek’ Thomson. More recently buildings have been built by famous architects such as Zaha Hadid, David Chipperfield, Foster + Partners and Steven Holl. Notable local architects include Page & Park, Elder & Cannon, NORD, jm architects and gm+ad.

The latest major buildings in the city are The Hydro by Foster + Partners and the Riverside Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects. Various venues for the Commonwealth Games in 2014 to the east of the city centre are also worth visiting.

Glasgow Architecture Walking Tour
Transport Museum Glasgow
photo : Hufton + Crow

e-architect : Architecture Walking Tours since 2001

British Walking Tours – Traditional, Contemporary or Both

British Architecture Tours can focus on contemporary or historic buildings or both. We can provide basic advice on key buildings, areas and types ahead of your walking tour. Visitors interested in, for example, new British office buildings could be assisted in preparing a specific tour programme to ahead of their trip to Great Britain.

British Walking Tours

Contact Isabelle Lomholt to arrange your architectural tour to Great Britain on
mob. +44 (0)7952 149814 or isabelle(at)e-architect.com

Payments to be made in full prior to the British architectural tour.

Architecture Tours

other UK cities covered:

Birmingham Architecture Tour

Leeds Architecture Tour

Manchester Architecture Walking Tour

Oxford Architectural Walking Tour

Sheffield Architectural Walking Tour

e-architect organise architecture walking tours in other countries such as Netherlands, France, Germany and Spain.

Building Tours – Selection

Dutch Architectural Walking Tours

French Architectural Walking Tours

German Architecture Walking Tours

We do show visitors around buildings in other UK cities – please contact us if you have a specific city in mind for an architectural tour.

Comments / photos for the British Building ToursGreat Britain Architecture Guides page welcome.