Open House Europe is a cooperation project that unfolds a multi-layered view of quality architecture across Europe and unites people of all professions, interests and visions – from volunteers and curious enthusiasts to young and experienced professionals and organisations.
Together we aim to connect through our built environment, and facilitate a common ground between the creators of architecture and its users. Open House Europe encourages and promotes an interest in architecture among various audiences, helps them gain new perspectives on their local surroundings, and invites them to envision the future of architecture in Europe.
Open House Europe builds bridges between professionals and the curious public by utilising their common passion for architecture. It seeks to provoke dialogue, encourage the exchange of knowledge, and foster community building.
This interconnection helps to reach the audience with different architectural ideas that have shaped and are still shaping architecture in Europe. By engaging different stakeholders in a debate, Open House Europe prompts people to imagine, shape, and build a future together.
Partners
Annual
Summit
The Annual Summit is a gathering of the Open House community, architecture enthusiasts, and professionals. Hosted by the Trienal de Arquitectura de Lisboa at the end of this year, the first Open House Europe Annual Summit will feature a dynamic public programme with inspiring discussions, lectures, workshops, and guided tours. It will be the culmination of this year's theme, Building Futures Together, focusing on sustainable practices in our built environment.
The Annual Summit will facilitate cross-regional exchange, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise. It is a unique opportunity for the Open House community, including anyone who is planning to launch an Open House festival in their cities, to come together, learn, exchange knowledge, and share experiences. Save the date, check out the full programme, and join us in Lisbon on December 15–16, 2023!
Building Futures
Together
For the duration of the project, Open House Europe will shift its focus to one specific area each year: sustainability, accessibility and inclusion, and future heritage. These different topics will unfold through the engagement of audiences and education about exceptional examples of architecture and urban environments. Thematic axes of the project will shape the agenda for a debate about contemporary and heritage architecture, its values, and its quality.
For the first season of Open House Europe, all twelve partner cities have adopted the main theme of this year – Building Futures Together. Throughout the year, festivals in each city will highlight different sustainable architectural practices that create positive changes in the face of the climate crisis. Topics around redevelopment, regeneration, adaptive reuse, and the use of innovative materials and construction techniques will be explored in the unique programmes of each Open House event.
Within local Open House events, the topic of sustainability will be explored through selections of representative buildings, complementary lectures, workshops, and other engaging activities. This Europe-wide exploration of sustainable practices will culminate in the public programme of the Open House Europe Annual Summit, which will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, at the end of the year.
Activities
Local Open
House Events
Open House festivals are the keystones of the Open House Europe agenda and expand its reach throughout Europe. They connect the general public with quality architecture, and, as part of Open House Europe, they are even more accessible and engaging.
Annual
Summits
At the end of each year, the Open House Europe Annual Summit will be the culmination of the year’s theme and activities. The summits will feature an extensive programme including lectures, discussions, workshops, and opportunities for knowledge and experience exchange between the participating cities.
Volunteers
Exchange
Encouraging knowledge and experience exchange, Open House Europe enables volunteer exchange between partner organisations. The programme is dedicated to international learning and collaboration among European cities and Open House Europe partners.
Open Call for
Visual Stories
Local Open House events invite their audiences to become a part of the festival. Open calls encourage visitors to submit their stories and experiences of architecture implemented through photography, film, drawing, or other media, and reflecting the annual theme.
Financed by
