Open House Festival 2022: a neighbourhood guide to East Ham
If you’ve ever spoken to a Londoner about the area they live in, chances are they’ve given you a lengthy list of the things that make it so special.
And this year’s London Open House Festival is shining a spotlight on nine London neighbourhoods. So you’ll be able to see for yourself what makes them such great places to live. The neighbourhoods have been chosen for their thriving communities, cultural scenes and hidden gems.
East Ham is just one of the spotlighted neighbourhoods being celebrated at this year’s festival. You can visit a number of public buildings and private homes during the two-week event in September.
Take a look at our handy guide to East Ham before you go.
Where is East Ham?
Known for its bustling urban vibe, East Ham is found in the East London borough of Newham, nine miles east of central London. It’s bordered by Plaistow, Forest Gate and Barking.
The area’s two largest parks are Central Park and Plashet Park, while the sprawling greenery of Wanstead Flats is less than a mile away.
What can I see in East Ham during Open House Festival 2022?
You can join guided tours of several local community spaces. Explore the Grade II-listed town hall, the recently restored Boleyn Tavern, and Red Door Studios – a workspace for East Ham creatives.
What do East Ham locals say?
Architect Kenny Orellana (above) lives in a self-built home in East Ham with his partner, Camille, and their young son.
After buying a disused garage at auction in 2016, Kenny set about building his own home. It’s an example of how forgotten bits of land can be transformed into sustainable and secure places to live.
He wasn’t familiar with East Ham when he started his self-build journey, but he now loves his local area.
“Living in East Ham is like living in a small village. People are very welcoming. We’ve discovered some great places, like Central Park Café, run by the amazing Sophie. And on Sundays, we head to The Boleyn Tavern – they do an amazing Sunday roast with a great selection of beers!”
“Gooseley Playing Fields and The Nature Reserve are excellent green spaces, perfect for the whole family to wander around,” he adds.
East House: the story of a self-built home in east London
Kenny’s search for an East London home started in 2016, and initially focused on areas like Hoxton and Dalston. But when they couldn’t find anything within their budget in these areas, the couple looked further east.
“We went to an auction and managed to purchase a disused garage that we thought would get planning permission to have a home on the site. There was no running water or electric, and there were cars parked on the land where our home would eventually be. We thought, what have we done! But then we thought, okay, let’s give this a go, and see what we can do with it.”
It’s taken Kenny and Camille around five years to finish the build.
“It’s been a big challenge, but it’s been really rewarding and made us feel closer to our neighbours, and to the area. When we moved in our son was about four months old, in December 2020, and we still had some major works to do to the house. We had no internal doors or floors, half a bathroom, and no handrail on the staircase,” he says.
Their home was completed in early 2021, and Kenny will be hosting tours of East House as part of this year’s Open House Festival.
The three-storey house has eco features weaved throughout its design. There’s a green wall, helping the home feel closer to nature, and plenty of windows flooding the space with natural light.
The house has an inverted layout, with the main living space on the upper floor, benefitting from the best views. The two bedrooms and bathrooms are downstairs, and there’s a green roof: the perfect spot for enjoying the sun.
“Building a home has been a unique experience, and really rewarding,” says Kenny.
What types of homes are there in East Ham?
The main road through East Ham, Barking Road, is intersected by quiet residential streets lined with Victorian and Edwardian terraces. There are also new homes developments in nearby Upton Park, comprising contemporary, multiple-bedroom flats.
Take a look at houses and flats for sale in East Ham
Take a look at homes available to rent in East Ham
What’s the average house price?
The average asking price of a home in East Ham is £425,810, which is well below the London average of £668,587.
Demand for properties for sale – that’s the number of people that send an enquiry on Rightmove about a home – is up 9% when compared to the same period in 2021. For rented homes, demand has increased by 46% in East Ham since 2021.
You can check out recent sold prices in East Ham here.
Does East Ham have good transport links?
East Ham is in Zone 3 and 4 of London’s transport network. The station is served by the District Line, and the Hammersmith & City line. There’s also Upton Park nearby. Journey times to central London take around half an hour on the Tube.
East Ham is less than a mile from Forest Gate Station, which is served by Elizabeth Line trains. Journeys into Liverpool Street Station on this line take just 13 minutes.
You can take a look at some of the incredible buildings, gardens and private homes you can visit via the Open House website.
Rightmove is the headline partner of Open House Festival.
READ MORE: Open House Festival 2022: visit famous buildings and private homes
