The 7th edition of Open House Brno returns on the weekend of May 18 and 19. The festival will open doors to 116 locations across Brno, inviting visitors to explore the diverse architectural landscape of the city. In addition, the two-day event will feature musical performances, special locations to explore Brno’s gastronomic scene, and an accompanying programme for families with children.

As part of the Open House Europe 2024 programme, which focuses on accessible and inclusive built environments, Open House Brno aims to highlight the diverse ways in which architecture can foster inclusivity. The festival’s central theme is a curated exploration of inclusion and accessibility, ranging from barrier-free design to the integration of socially excluded urban spaces. Moreover, the festival will offer special tours or assistance for visitors facing various challenges.

“We have dedicated this year’s festival, together with other Open House Europe partner cities, to people who may find using the city complicated. Whether they are fellow citizens with disabilities, the elderly, or perhaps economically disadvantaged groups, they have to overcome barriers that are invisible to other people. Alongside guided tours for people with disabilities, an assistance service is available for selected regular tours. Our aim is to revive the discussion about whether our cities are really for everyone, the available data, and its utilisation in urban planning,” says Lucie Pešl Šilerová, creative director of the Open House Brno 2024.

Highlights of this year’s programme include the DROM Roma Centre, exemplifying the application of modular architecture; the conversion of the Baroque palace into the Jiří Mahen Central Library, the largest public library in Moravia; the Velodrome in Brno, the world’s oldest of its kind; the prefabricated pavilion building of the Lesná Polyclinic; and a distinctive neoclassical villa, now functioning as a logopedic school, complete with a modern extension.

Alongside the festival, an exhibition with a focus on inclusive and accessible spaces, featuring 26 exemplary architectural projects from across Brno, can be visited at St. Anne’s University Hospital.

Some guided tours of the festival have a limited capacity and require prior registration. To register and access full information about the festival, including the list of open locations, the English language programme, and more additional content, visit openhousebrno.cz.

We invite visitors of Open House Brno to participate in the Open Call for Visual Stories. It is an opportunity for everyone to interpret their experiences of the festival and the annual theme of Open House Europe—Accessibility and Inclusion—in any art form they wish—a series of photographs, a short film, a drawing, or any other medium for a visual narrative.