Rosa Rogina, director at LFA 2026, on how you can shape the festival

close up shots of model of London at LFA HQ in London, where director Rosa Rogina leads the london festival of architecture 2026 plans

(Image credit: Courtesy of LFA)

Preparations are ramping up at London Festival of Architecture (LFA) HQ, with director Rosa Rogina and her team recently announcing the launch of the 2026 event’s open call for entries. The annual architecture month's theme this year is ‘Belonging’, and as always, the celebration of the built environment will kick off on 1 June. To create a layered and richly participatory programme for all, the organisers are inviting everyone to take part, announcing a hunt for submissions that will bring together an insightful and inclusive diary – one true to the theme's heart.

LFA director Rosa Rogina on the festival's 2026 call for activities

Excited by the prospect of a month of architecture-themed events and shows, we spoke to Rogina, who talked to us about how the festival might shape up, what the theme means to her, and what she is hoping to see among this June's activities.

portrait of Rosa Rogina in colour, she's wearing white shirt with small patterns in orange — LFA director Rosa Rogina

Wallpaper*: Tell us more about the theme. Why does it feel exciting to talk about the idea of 'Belonging'?

Rosa Rogina: As belonging is becoming an increasingly contested idea across our cities, we were pleased that our curation panel has recognised this urgency and has decided to set it as a theme for this year’s festival. Following the momentum of 2025’s programme, which brought hundreds of activities exploring the theme of ‘Voices’ and, as such, has helped amplify diverse, often unheard, perspectives to shape the built environment, we wanted to continue and push that conversation further in 2026.

We hope the festival creates a space to reimagine connection and acts as a vehicle for a collective change in our city, which is much needed. What excites us about ‘Belonging’ is that it asks a fundamental question: who has the right to determine who belongs in this city and how might we reclaim belonging as something that is shared, rather than granted? At a moment of rapid change across London, that feels both urgent and full of possibility.

aerial of london, linked to the 2026 london festival of architecture which explores themes of belonging — Aerial view of London

W*: Who can take part in LFA 2026? And is there anyone you are especially encouraging to participate?

RR: The call is really for anyone interested in shaping the future of London. One of the things that makes the festival so special year on year is that it brings together industry professionals, students and everyday Londoners to collectively imagine and create change in their own neighbourhoods. You don’t need to be architecturally trained to take part. The city belongs to all of us, and so does the conversation about its future. In 2025, 96 per cent of events were organised by Londoners, 35 per cent of event organisers came from outside the built environment, and 76 per cent of attendees were not related to the sector.

While there is still space for improvement, we are proud of that shift and want to continue to push it further. Through our Open Call for Activities, anyone with an idea can propose something for the programme, whether that be a workshop, performance, talk or an open-door type of activity. We are especially keen to hear from community groups, grassroots organisers, young people, and those who might not usually see themselves reflected in the discussions about London’s future.

W*: What sort of submissions are you hoping to receive?

RR: The question we often get asked is what is the ‘right’ kind of event, which is almost an impossible question to answer. What matters mos,t I would say, isn’t format or scale, it is intention and the possible legacy an event can leave on the city long after the festival is gone. That is only possible to achieve with events that have a very clear sense of why, how and for whom from the onset. A small, hyper-local walk followed by a workshop in an outer London location can be just as impactful as a large public installation, and sometimes even more so.

As such, the festival is a chance to test ideas, learn in public and think differently about London’s ordinary and extraordinary everyday environments. We are hoping to see bold, imaginative ideas and submissions, including projects that take ownership of streets and shared spaces, that activate overlooked sites, or that propose new ways of working and living together. Whether that’s a temporary road closure, an installation, a communal meal, or simply a conversation, it’s less about what the event looks like, and more about the change it might spark.

close up shots of model of London at LFA HQ in London

W*: Is there anything that wouldn't fit the format of LFA?

RR: With such high interest and appetite to take part year on year, the festival team has to be selective to ensure the programme remains open, inspiring and true to the festival’s mission. As such, all the activities that make it to the final programme should have a clear link to the theme and fit within the context of a festival of architecture. Activities that primarily serve as promotion tools or commercial marketing are not suitable. Equally, while not every event can be free, particularly those run by individuals or charities, high-price-point events are discouraged. We prioritise accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability in all festival events and support participants year-round through mentoring sessions, online resources and guidance to help them deliver events that meet these standards.

W*: Is there a dream project or activity that you would like LFA 2026 to have?

RR: There is always a dream project! For a long time, I thought that scaling up a single project makes a dream project, but over time, as my understanding of the festival’s role in the city has deepened, I have become more interested in an accumulation of relatable, small-scale, hyper-local activities. One dream I hope isn’t too distant from now would be a coordinated project across all of London’s boroughs, orchestrating temporary road closures and activating at least one location in each borough, with the hope that a number of these activations become permanent. We have done it in a number of places individually over the years, but a dream would be to create a truly city-wide, coordinated effort.

Submissions for inclusion of an event at the London Festival of Architecture 2026 are open until 6 March 2026

londonfestivalofarchitecture.org

TOPICS

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).