Bigger and Better: Festival of architectural excellence

17 Apr 2023

Open Christchurch, the annual festival of architectural excellence, returns on 6 and 7 May 2023 with its biggest programme to date. With many supporters of the festival, including Resene, anticipation is building.

Open Christchurch 2023 celebrates some of Christchurch’s best architecture and special spaces that contribute to the city’s unique sense of place. This year’s festival focuses on the renowned partnership of Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney and the rise of the Christchurch Modern style, the city’s coastal identity, and the journey of educational architecture in Christchurch, spanning 159 years in the programme.

The festival celebrates our special places and local architecture, and the story of the city over time.

Jessica Halliday, Te Pūtahi Director, says, “Open Christchurch celebrates not just architecture - but the city’s ready sense of connection and our capacity to build relationships. The festival rests on partnerships and the participation of many organisations, businesses and people. Our volunteers are a vital part of making Open Christchurch happen.” 

For the festival’s third edition, Te Pūtahi - Centre for architecture and city-making and its family of building partners will open up 52 buildings over the course of one weekend that range in ages, styles and uses for residents and visitors to explore, and offer four guided walks that survey a series of public spaces and buildings from different perspectives.

Celebrating the work of Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney, take a closer look at the city’s coastal identity through its architecture and explore educational architecture over the span of 159 years, in addition to a range of heritage treasures, returning favourites and one-off experiences.

A public programme of talks, tours, exhibitions and activities runs parallel to the open buildings, which invites attendees to learn more about the spaces they are visiting and to delve deeper into the story of Christchurch through its architecture.

These are just some of the highlights to appear in the annual one-weekend-only festival of architectural excellence, presented by Te Pūtahi - Centre for Architecture & City-Making.

Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings (Benjamin Mountfort, 1858-65). Image by Peanut Productions.

This year’s special architectural experiences include behind-the-fences tours of the Canterbury Provincial Council Chambers, which have been inaccessible to the public since the earthquakes; a nosey through a private, multi-generational contemporary residence that looks like an elongated milking shed but contains a crafted treasure within, and an evening at Te Puna Wānaka (Ara | Te Pūkenga) exploring Māori architecture and design in Ōtautahi.

Visitors are invited to explore the city in different ways, whether that be discovering the estuary-inspired rebuild of the Mt Pleasant Community Centre with its architect Chris Moller (formerly of Grand Designs), taking a guided walk through the University of Canterbury to explore its journey of becoming a te Tiriti based campus with Corban Te Aika (Ngāi Tahu) or joining a tour of the Christchurch Town Hall that asks ‘How accessible is the city’s “living room?”.

Ara Institute of Canterbury | Te Pūkenga – Te Puna Wānaka (Royal Associates, 1994). Image by Amanda Fitzgerald.

Four guided walks explore different ways of seeing our city, from a youth-based perspective through to how mana whenua values have been woven into the rebuild. Audio-described tours explore College House and Tūranga for those who are blind and low-vision. In an effort to open the city to more people during Open Christchurch, Te Pūtahi has worked with partners in the disability sector and appointed an Accessibility Advisor. The 2023 programme features activities such as a guided walk through three New Brighton buildings, as well as improved accessibility information for all 52 buildings.

Some old favourites return to the 2023 programme, such as the behind-the-hoardings tours at Christ Church Cathedral and behind-closed-doors access to the Observatory Hotel at the Arts Centre. Over 30 activities, such as talks, tours, exhibitions and workshops, provide additional ways to learn about the city’s architecture.

Gustorob  (Bull & O’Sullivan Architects, 2021). Image by Patrick Reynolds.

Other highlights include culturally, historically and architecturally important buildings that are not generally open for free to the public, such as the sustainable and educational Kahukura (Ara), the collection of heritage buildings at Christ’s College, and last year’s popular industrial treasure Wood’s Mill. Children’s architecture-themed workshops at the Arts Centre return; as do expert tours of buildings by the architects and engineers behind their design. The Tongan Church Fonua 'o e maná with Michael O’Sullivan, Te Ora Hou with Amiria Kiddell and St Andrew’s Centennial Chapel with Jane Rooney are just some of the inclusions.

Te Pūtahi director Jessica Halliday says, “The expanded Open Christchurch programme is our response to people’s passion for the city’s architecture. Thanks to the generosity of our building partners Open Christchurch offers something for everyone - whether you have a passion for modernism, want to explore exemplar medium density housing or find out more about the history and future of modern Māori architecture. And if you’re into creative responses to architecture you can find The White Room Creative Space’s studio on wheels, join the library’s sketch tour or Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre’s children’s workshops.”

New Brighton Surf Life Saving Club (South by Southeast Architects with Snøhetta, 2021). Image by Sarah Rowlands.

Additions to the 2023 festival include increased accessibility information, an information desk that will be open for the duration of the festival on the ground floor of Tūranga, and two evening events of quick-fire architecture talks and interviews.

Open Christchurch wishes to acknowledge and thank its family of supporters for making the 2023 festival possible: Open Christchurch Champion, Christchurch City Council; Principal Sponsors GIB®, NZ Steel; Supporting Sponsors Resene, The Architectural Roofing Company & Inzide;  Event Partner, Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects; Te Pūtahi Core Sponsors, Works and Kendons.

Festival organisers invite one and all to save the dates, 6 and 7 May 2023, and join Open Christchurch for a celebration of the city’s architecture.

Visit openchch.nz for bookings and more information.

Published: 17 Apr 2023