Open House Thessaloniki returns on November 23 and 24, bringing the city’s architecture to life with over 70 open buildings and a variety of parallel events. This year, the festival focuses on “Accessibility and Inclusion,” promoting architecture that is welcoming, functional, and open to everyone. With free guided tours led by dedicated volunteers, visitors will have the opportunity to explore both modern and historic sites, delving into Thessaloniki’s rich architectural heritage and new designs that shape the city’s landscape today.

Expanding beyond the main weekend, the festival begins a week ahead with a series of engaging events. One highlight is Made in Thessaloniki, a programme that allows visitors to experience local craftsmanship up close, with artisans and makers sharing their production techniques, including traditional skills and modern innovations. Another key event, Open Walk, will guide participants through the unique architecture and historical layers of Thessaloniki’s port, offering insight into one of the city’s most important areas. Open School also returns this year, giving students the chance to explore the city’s architecture through specially organised tours on November 18 and 22.

As part of the Open House Europe 2024 programme, which focuses on accessibility and inclusion, a key focus of Open House Thessaloniki this year is on creating a festival that everyone can enjoy. Open House Thessaloniki has introduced a website filter and special signage to make it easy for visitors to identify accessible buildings in the program. Selected tours will be livestreamed on social media to bring the experience to an even broader audience. In collaboration with Mind the Map, tactile maps and a 3D model will be available during Open Walk at the port, designed to enhance the experience for visitors with visual impairments. Tours in English will also be offered, making the event more accessible for international visitors and people from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Two exhibitions will complement the programme. The first, “Building Futures Together,” is a travelling exhibition of Open House Europe, featuring Visual Stories—creative perspectives of visitors of Open House festivals in 12 cities, focusing on sustainability and architecture. The second exhibition, “Vorbitten Tape” by Alexandros Kapetanou, takes a fresh look at symbols of exclusion in public spaces, using familiar red-and-white tape to create new forms that question boundaries in the urban environment.

In keeping with Open House Thessaloniki’s spirit of participation, this year’s event invites everyone to get involved through interactive competitions, including the popular Open Photo on Instagram and Open Your Map, where visitors can collect stamps across the city to create a unique souvenir from the weekend.

With a program designed to explore how accessibility and inclusion can shape the built environment, Open House Thessaloniki 2024 promises an inspiring experience for all. For the complete programme and the latest event updates, visit the Open House Thessaloniki website.

We invite visitors of Open House Thessaloniki 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.