Victoria Thornton

In 1992, Thornton founded the charity Open House (later renamed Open-City) in London to enable people outside the profession to have a better understanding of architecture and urban design.^[6][1] The Open House initiative seeks to showcase outstanding architecture for all to experience, free of charge, and to invite everyone to explore, debate and advocate for the value of a well-designed built environment.^[7] The first programme in 1992 featured 20 buildings, that in 1994 over 200 and as an annual event in September it has more recently expanded to over 800 buildings.^[4][8] The concept has now been taken up by over 45 cities globally, which together constitute the Open House Worldwide 'family'.^[9]

As well as being Director of Open-City and Open House (1992–2016), Thornton also developed and chaired programmes to engage young people and decision-makers in issues around quality in the built environment, including Adopt a School, Architecture in Schools, London Exemplar for Planning Councillors, Summer Architecture Academy and My City Too!.^{[citation needed]} She also created Art in the Open as London's strategy agency for art in the public realm with funding from Arts Council England.

Among the positions Victoria Thornton has held are:

• Trustee and Board Member of the Architectural Association
• Jury Member of the RIBA Royal Gold Medal (2015–17)
• Board Member of Irish Architecture Foundation (2005–13)
• Department of Culture, Media and Sport's Engaging Places Advisory Panel (2007)
• expert advisory panel, Farrell Review of Architecture and the Built Environment

In October 2018 Victoria Thornton was ratified as President and Chair of the Council of the Architectural Association.^[10][11]

She was given an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2003 and an Honorary MA from London Metropolitan University in 2006, and was awarded an OBE in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to architecture and education. The annual Thornton Lecture was established in 2017 by Open-City in recognition of her contribution to architecture. Latterly recipient of the Sir Misha Black Award for Innovation in Education in the Built Environment.