NLA is based at The Building Centre in central London – an organisation established in 1931 to promote innovation in the built environment and now home to many companies related to the building industry.

The NLA galleries – based on the ground floor of the building – tell the story of London’s development through both permanent and regularly-changing exhibitions, including our giant scale model of central London. Bi-annual NLA-curated shows tackle major issues from housing to infrastructure. We also host many of our events in the building.

The galleries are open, free of charge, six days a week, and receive over 10,000 visitors each month from London, the UK and abroad. Find out more about the building’s facilities, upcoming exhibition programme, or space hire for exhibitions and events.

NLA’s year-round programme examines all sectors of London’s built environment from housing to commercial development, regeneration to infrastructure, as well as major areas of opportunity across the capital.

A carefully curated mix of research, events and exhibitions provides comprehensive coverage of the issues affecting London’s changing physical environment.

We deliver over 150 events per year - a mixture of round-table discussions, conferences, debates, talks, walking tours and receptions - alongside research, exhibitions, awards and a quarterly publication - all focussed on planning the future of London.

This busy and ever-growing programme attracts leading decision-makers and professionals across London government, property, planning and design. Our broad audience of architects, engineers, developers, investors, agents, planners, councillors, officers and community, provides an unrivalled environment for discussion, learning and debate.

Monthly half-day conferences and shorter briefings examine emerging policy, funding mechanisms, development plans and best practice across all sectors of the built environment and geographical areas of change.

Free breakfast talks, evening lectures and PechaKuchas present and debate topical issues, new research and significant projects, and attract large, well-informed audiences. 

Invite-only roundtable Think Tank discussions bring together a select group of senior players to examine an issue or area in detail, often under The Chatham House Rule. The sessions can feed into government consultation, support policy and research development, and build advocacy around complex areas of change.

The capital’s major areas of change and opportunity come under the spotlight at regular events hold ‘on location’, combining conference presentations and Q&As, guided tours of new developments and neighbourhoods, and networking.

NLA Insight Studies bring together new independent research to address the central issues affecting the shape of the capital. Over a six-month period, NLA works with independent researchers to gather new evidence and the views of key industry professionals. This culminates in the launch of a major publication, public exhibition and three-month programme of events – including talks, debates, walking tours and workshops.

Regular invite-only networking events bring together the NLA network and include VIP guest speakers, exhibition private views, access to new buildings and drinks receptions.

The New London Sounding Board provides a single, cross-industry voice that comments on and contributes to the debate surrounding major change in the capital. It meets three times a year and is chaired by Michael Cassidy CBE.

NLA celebrates the best physical change in the capital through a number of awards programmes each year.

The New London Awards recognise the very best in architecture, planning and development in the capital, including both new and proposed projects across all sectors of the built environment, selected by an international expert jury.

Don’t Move, Improve! celebrates London’s best and most innovative home extensions and improvements. A public programme of events and consultations provides free inspiration and advice for the capital’s homeowners and promotes the work of smaller architectural practices and designers. 

From walking tours to workshops, free talks to exhibitions, NLA offers a wide range of activities for schools, families, Londoners and first-time visitors to discover London’s world-class new architecture and development and learn about how the shape of the capital is changing for the future.

Click here for more information on Learning.

Discover London's latest architecture on the New London Neighbourhood Tours. Tours take place twice a month, on the second Saturday and the last Wednesday of each month.

Click here to see upcoming New Lonondon Neighbourhood Tours.

NLA’s giant interactive model of central London brings the story of London’s historical and physical development to life. Free lunchtime talks give visitors the opportunity to learn firsthand about London’s newest architecture and development. Private bespoke and schools model talks also available.

See upcoming Model Talks here

NLA is an independent member-supported organisation open to any organisation or individual with an interest in London’s built environment.

All members benefit from free, discounted and preferential access to NLA’s events and help inform the centre’s agenda.

Our growing membership stands at over 400 organisations drawn from across the public and private sectors - a network of some 12,000 individuals responsible for the design, development and planning of our city.

Find out more about the benefits of joining the NLA network and supporting NLA’s independent programme of debate, research and exhibitions.

NLA’s 1:2000 scale interactive model of central London is the centrepiece of the NLA galleries and brings the story of London’s historical and physical development to life through a sophisticated projection system integrated with films.

At 12.5 metres-long, the model covers more than 85 square kilometres of London, 19 Boroughs and approximately 170,000 buildings, including 34km of the Thames with its corresponding 21 bridges. It extends from King’s Cross in the north to Peckham in the south and the Royal Docks in the east to Old Oak Common in the west.

Touchscreens allow buildings and major infrastructure projects to be brought to life across the surface of the model, showing the key areas of change and revealing the sheer scale of proposed development in the capital. Visitors can also call up detailed information and key facts on London’s newest and projects buildings.

Integrated films document the history and development of the capital, the impact of the London Plan, major infrastructure plans, the rise of tall buildings and the ongoing influence of the Great Estates. New films will be commissioned to coincide with NLA’s ongoing programme of Insight Study research pieces. Films can be viewed in our galleries or online here.

Model Talks
Free lunchtime talks give visitors the opportunity to learn firsthand about London’s newest architecture and development. Model talks take place on the second and last Friday of each month at 12:30.

All model talks are free, but booking is required. Click here to book!

Any project that has recently been completed, is currently under construction or has planning permission to be built can be highlighted on the model. Projects will be highlighted through 3D-printing technology and a projection system linked to an interactive digital display with full project details.

Projects can be at any stage from having received planning permission through to completed since January 2012. Minimum size 25,000 sqft.

Updates will be made to the model bi-annually and there is a small charge calculated per square footage, with discounts for NLA Members. 

Contact us if you have a project to add to the model, or if you are interested in featuring your company profile on the interactive system.

The NLA galleries at The Building Centre are available for private hire. Find out more here.

Guided tours of the New London Model are bookable for groups of any size. Find out more.

NLA has a number of gallery, meeting and event spaces for hire both at The Building Centre in the West End and at The Guildhall in The City of London.

Both venues offer large city models as a backdrop – the New London Model in the NLA galleries at The Building Centre and the City of London model at The City Centre in The Guildhall.

NLA Members are entitled to discounted rates and NLA Partners have one free use each year of the NLA Galleries at The Building Centre for an event. Contact us for details.