Unbuilt London

The London that might have been

Familiar as we are with London’s monuments, landmarks and historic buildings it’s easy to forget the many proposed, abandoned or rejected designs for a London that might have been.

This gallery illustrates a small selection of drawings and photographs of models of the many unrealised designs for London held by the RIBA Collections. These range from competition designs of iconic landmarks such as the Nelson monument to grand schemes that would have drastically altered the landscape of London such as Joseph Emberton’s high-rise development surrounding St Paul’s Cathedral.

Of particular note are some of the rather staid competition designs for RIBA’s headquarters at 66 Portland Place and the various entries for the controversial competition for the National Gallery Extension.

Poster collection

99499 items

Clothes lines, Glencaple, near Dumfries RIBA10714

Clothes lines, Glencaple, near DumfriesRIBA10714

37 Bidston Road, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside: the dining room RIBA3727

37 Bidston Road, Oxton, Birkenhead, Merseyside: the dining roomRIBA3727

Alexander Fleming House, Elephant and Castle, Southwark, London RIBA2518-9

Alexander Fleming House, Elephant and Castle, Southwark, LondonRIBA2518-9

Alton East Estate, Roehampton, London: view of the staggered terrace of houses with twelve-storey point blocks in the background RIBA34554

Alton East Estate, Roehampton, London: view of the staggered terrace of houses with twelve-storey point blocks in the backgroundRIBA34554

Alton West Estate, Roehampton, London: Lynn Chadwick's sculpture 'The Watchers' with the point blocks beyond RIBA59327

Alton West Estate, Roehampton, London: Lynn Chadwick's sculpture 'The Watchers' with the point blocks beyondRIBA59327

Alton West Estate, Roehampton, London: the staggered line of old people's cottages RIBA4620

Alton West Estate, Roehampton, London: the staggered line of old people's cottagesRIBA4620

Battersea 'A' Power Station, London, by night RIBA2478

Battersea 'A' Power Station, London, by nightRIBA2478

Berthold Lubetkin in top hat beside caryatid at the entrance to Highpoint Two, North Hill, Highgate, London RIBA2902-26

Berthold Lubetkin in top hat beside caryatid at the entrance to Highpoint Two, North Hill, Highgate, LondonRIBA2902-26

Black & White Milk Bar, Gray's Inn Road, London, at night RIBA2561-10

Black & White Milk Bar, Gray's Inn Road, London, at nightRIBA2561-10

Breves Lalique Galleries, Bond Street, London RIBA5151

Breves Lalique Galleries, Bond Street, LondonRIBA5151

Christ Church, Spitalfields, London, seen from Brushfield Street RIBA3722

Christ Church, Spitalfields, London, seen from Brushfield StreetRIBA3722

Decimus Burton RIBA3643-71

Decimus BurtonRIBA3643-71

Design for a poster for the Central Liquor Control Board entitled 'Use and Beauty' to decorate a pub or canteen, possibly in the Carlisle area RIBA4081

Design for a poster for the Central Liquor Control Board entitled 'Use and Beauty' to decorate a pub or canteen, possibly in the Carlisle areaRIBA4081

Design for a proposed new front for the North Briton public house, 10 New North Road, Hoxton, London RIBA21225

Design for a proposed new front for the North Briton public house, 10 New North Road, Hoxton, LondonRIBA21225

Design for a wallpaper entitled 'The Callum' RIBA4113

Design for a wallpaper entitled 'The Callum'RIBA4113

Design for Bromley Hall School for children with physical disabilities, Bromley Hall Road, Tower Hamlets, London RIBA20216

Design for Bromley Hall School for children with physical disabilities, Bromley Hall Road, Tower Hamlets, LondonRIBA20216

Design for Calverley Grange (now Pembury Grange), Sandown Park, Pembury, Kent: elevation, for Neville Ward RIBA29448

Design for Calverley Grange (now Pembury Grange), Sandown Park, Pembury, Kent: elevation, for Neville WardRIBA29448

Design for Frinton Park Estate, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex RIBA4022

Design for Frinton Park Estate, Frinton-on-Sea, EssexRIBA4022

Design for Gatwick Airport: ground floor plan of the terminal building known as 'The Beehive' RIBA36739

Design for Gatwick Airport: ground floor plan of the terminal building known as 'The Beehive'RIBA36739

Design for the Brook Street Hill Garden Village, Brentwood, Essex, for Homesteads Ltd.: plan with perspective details showing examples of proposed houses RIBA36537

Design for the Brook Street Hill Garden Village, Brentwood, Essex, for Homesteads Ltd.: plan with perspective details showing examples of proposed housesRIBA36537

Design for the interior decoration of the Chapel of St Joseph, Oratory of St Philip Neri, Brompton Road, Kensington, London RIBA4033

Design for the interior decoration of the Chapel of St Joseph, Oratory of St Philip Neri, Brompton Road, Kensington, LondonRIBA4033

Designs for Broadleys (now Windermere Motor Boat Club), Gillhead, near Cartmel Fell, Lake Windermere, Cumbria, for Arthur Currer Briggs: perspective of terrace front with inset floor plans RIBA3087-37

Designs for Broadleys (now Windermere Motor Boat Club), Gillhead, near Cartmel Fell, Lake Windermere, Cumbria, for Arthur Currer Briggs: perspective of terrace front with inset floor plansRIBA3087-37

Dreamland, Margate, Kent RIBA3309-51

Dreamland, Margate, KentRIBA3309-51

Eames House, 206 Chautauqua Way, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles RIBA3440-58

Eames House, 206 Chautauqua Way, Pacific Palisades, Los AngelesRIBA3440-58