A series of cycle rides led by well-known names will showcase the capital’s vibrant architecture this summer, taking place 20 June – 20 July 2008 as part of London Festival of Architecture 2008 (LFA2008).

LFA2008 Cycle Rides will be enjoyable evening or daytime trips, open to everyone, that offer a fantastic insight into new parts of the city and a way of learning about its history, culture and hidden secrets. The rides will be marshalled by Southwark Cyclists, a local group that has an active voice campaigning on behalf of cyclists in London.

They will be led by some of Britain’s most outspoken figures in architecture, from Observer architecture critic Stephen Bayley to curator of the recent Tate Modern Global Cities exhibition Professor Richard Burdett, plus high profile cyclists including Emily Thornbury MP and commentator and housing designer Wayne Hemingway.

The rides, devised by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, will stop off at buildings and urban spaces (from the Great Freshway, a proposal for a grand cycle superhighway across London, to the Mayor’s 100 Public Spaces for London) and explore the political themes behind some of London’s most famous landmarks, from Trafalgar Square to Speakers’ Corner.

Wayne Hemingway commented, “Getting on your bike gives you an immense sense of freedom – and a major bonus is that it’s easy to hop off and have a good stare at the buildings, public spaces and of course the people that use them, along the way!”

Peter Murray, Director of LFA2008 said, “By bicycle is by far the best way to look at architecture; you get good views, you can cover a lot of ground in a short space of time and you don’t spend most of the day in a traffic jam. The Festival team have put together a fantastic range of rides with a great range of guides – a must for all urban cyclists and architecture buffs.”

The Festival takes place around five Hubs, or focal points, across the city: Kensington, Chelsea & Knightsbridge; Canary Wharf, Stratford & Greenwich Peninsula; King’s Cross, Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia & Covent Garden; Southwark & South Bank and Clerkenwell & the City of London. Each Hub will offer weekend rides lasting four to six hours and weekday evening rides of about two hours.

The LFA2008 theme is Fresh, and the cycle rides form an integral part of the Fresh Air section.

For further information on LFA2008 Cycle Rides please email Camilla Seers.

For further information on LFA2008 please email Lucy Wilson at Theresa Simon & Partners.

Booking information

To book tickets for LFA2008 Cycle Rides go to www.lfa2008.org from 5 May 2008.