Open Christchurch 2021 programme announced
Open Christchurch will offer a unique opportunity to visit over 40 of the region’s architectural gems. Seen here: Christ’s College Big School by James FitzGerald, 1863 and Warren and Mahoney, 1989.
The award-winning and newly-restored Christchurch Town Hall by Warren and Mahoney will also host special events during the festival.
The Christchurch Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre by Pattersons Associates Architects, completed in 2014, is also on the Open Christchurch programme.
Participating buildings include the Rāpaki Church, constructed by Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke in 1869.
The colourful Chen Anselmi Units by Paul Anselmi of Bull O’Sullivan Architecture and Maria Chen will also be open to visitors.
Over 40 buildings are included in the line-up for this two-day event on 15 and 16 May 2021, which sees iconic architecture available to the public – some for the first time ever.
Chosen for their cultural, architectural and historical significance, the buildings range from more than a century old to recent constructions in the Garden City.
Open Christchurch allows residents and visitors an exclusive opportunity to explore more than 40 sites across the city, which offer a wide range of styles and functions. Organised by the Te Pūtahi Centre for Architecture and City-making with the support of building owners and kaitiaki, the festival is shaping up to be the largest of its kind in New Zealand.
Along with behind-the-scenes experiences at certain sites, there will also be one-off access to homes of architectural significance which are not normally accessible to the public. Participating buildings include the Rāpaki Church, constructed by the local Ngāi Tahu iwi in 1869, as well as the Chen Anselmi Units, an award-winning example of suburban multi-unit dwellings that were completed in 2019.
A few highlights of special events during the Open Christchurch weekend include a dress rehearsal by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra in the award-winning Christchurch Town Hall on 15 May from 10am to 12:30pm – giving the public a unique opportunity to see both the space and the performance – and tours on the hour of one of Sir Miles Warren’s self-proclaimed best spaces, College House.
The festival builds on the last year’s pilot programme and is set to be one of the largest architectural festivals in New Zealand. Entry is free for most events, with bookings required along with a small booking fee for visiting private homes.
Open Christchurch 2021 will take place on 15 and 16 May, with the chosen buildings selected by Te Pūtahi’s building council and a public nomination process.
See the full programme now on openchch.nz.
