ROUGH AND SMOOTH- The Architecture of Soho and Fitzrovia

Over the past two decades, Central London has been steadily cleansing itself of the urban grit that once defined it, but at its heart - thankfully - a fabulous quarter of rough and smooth still reigns. Grubby and authentic, ordinary and amazing, Soho was described by 1960s architectural critic Ian Nairn as ‘not one thing, but every kind of thing’ and with Fitzrovia, the two districts have (so far!) resisted widespread attempts to sanitise them. Laid out from the late 1600s, the neighbourhoods are classical in origin, yet it is their cosmopolitan mix that defines them. Uncovering historic layers, architectural dualities, hard knocks and refinement, this walk revels in the bona fide streetscapes and urbanism of Soho and Fitzrovia.

A walk by The London Ambler - Mike Althorpe