@greatbritisharchitecture: Can you believe that this beautiful building was going to be demolished? Originally built as St. John the Evangelist church, the building that we know today as Smith Square Hall was built in the early 18th century to designs by Thomas Archer. Legend states that when Archer asked Queen Anne (who was involved in the Fifty Churches Act) how she wanted St. John’s to look, she kicked over her footstool and snapped, “Like that!”. After being bombed during World War Two, the church was saved by Lady Parker of Waddington, who formed the Friends of St John’s. After four years of restorative works, the building was reborn as one of London’s finest concert halls - Smith Square Hall. Today, Smith Square Hall is a thriving concert and events venue, welcoming over 50,000 people through its doors each year.  However, this remarkable building is in urgent need of repair to protect its future. The Sinfonia’s Doors Open Capital Project is an ambitious initiative to revitalise this historic buildings, ensuring that its can stay open for future generations to come. Please follow the link in my bio for more information. @Sinfonia Smith Square

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Thursday 06 August 2026 16:04:52 GMT