Bookshops

• There are two principal architectural bookshops in London where you can browse. One is at the headquarters of the RIBA; it is large and comprehensive. The other is located in the basement of the Architectural Asssociation school of Architecture and is comparatively small but attempts to be more trendy. Both have web sites.

• Other large bookshops with architectural sections include many on Charing Cross Road, Borders in the east part of Oxford Street, and Waterstones in what was the Simpsons shop in Piccadilly (interesting in itself and it has a bar on the upper floor - what more could you ask for?). Another pleasant alternative is the London University Waterstones shop on Gower Street (north end). The Tate Modern bookshop similarly has a large collection.

• London has some excellent guide books. Those of a specific architectural interest include Woodward & Jones' comprehensive and heavyweight guide (excellent value), or Ken Allinson's Guide To London's Contemporary Architecture + (published as a new edition in Spring 2003). There are very few guides to specific architects although you can find local guides to the 'London villages' - try any local bookshop or go to the Guildhall Bookshop in the City of London (an excellent venue for London guides, maps, etc.; it's located at the Guildhall).

RIBA Bookshop: 66 Portland Place WC1. T: 0207 251 0791. Open Mon-Fri9.30am-17.30pm; Sat 10.00am-17.00pm. Nearest tube: Oxford Circus or Great Portland Street.

Triangle Bookshop: 36 Bedford Square, WC1B 3JW T: 020 7631 1381. Open 10.00am-18.30pm weekdays. Nearest tube: Tottenham Court Road or Gower Street.

Tours and Research

No one hosts major exhibitions anymore except venues such as the Design Museum, the Tate, the V&A, and the Royal Academy. Other venues include the RIBA, the Crafts Council and the Building Centre. Watch out for the new Architecture Foundation centre opening about 2007. But don't forget the obvious: London itself is a living architectural exhibition.

• Open House has been hosting an annual Open House London weekend in September each year since 1992. This is an event for everyone. There is also Open House Junior for schools, with thousands of school children participating each year. And it's all entirely free! Schools interested in using the event should contact Open House.

• The RIBA and the Arts Council promote their own annual event in June called Architecture Week. This is implicitly oriented toward architects and architectural students.

• You can visit a permanent exhibition on architecture at the Victoria & Albert Museum's Architecture Gallery. The Gallery exhibition is very good (especially for its models), although it suffers from its intrinsic 'exhibition' medium, curiously ignoring the architecture of the V&A itself, what is all around in neighbouring streets, and even pieces of architecture displayed (and ignored) in the ground floor shop!

• New London Architecture