Between December 14–17, 2023, the Lisbon Architecture Triennale hosted the first Annual Summit of Open House Europe—an international cooperation project co-funded by the European Union.

Public debate ‘Governance, Architecture and Sustainability: How Can the City Be Sustainable through Public Policies?’ panel included Demetrio Scopelliti, the Director of Urban Planning and Public Space at the City of Milan’s Agency for Mobility, Environment and Territory; Filipa Serpa, Vice-President of the Board of IHRU (Institute of Housing and Urban Rehabilitation), renowned for her expertise in public housing policies; Janet Sanz, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona for Ecology, Urban Planning and Urban Mobility; and Susana Ruiz, an architect and the Technical Manager of Bilbao for Urban Planning, specialising in urban master planning.

The session was moderated by Sandra Marques Pereira, a researcher in urban sociology, housing and cities, affiliated with DIN MIA’CET and Socio Digital Lab for Public Policy, ISCTE—Instituto Universitário de Lisboa. The discussion explored critical perspectives and insights into sustainable urban development, particularly regarding the role of governance, architecture and public policies in fostering sustainability within cities.

The Annual Summit gathered the community of Open House festivals’ organisers, architecture enthusiasts, students, and professionals. Hosted in Palácio Sinel de Cordes, an 18th-century palace transformed into a cultural centre, the first Open House Europe Annual Summit featured a lively public and internal programme.

Dedicated to the theme of sustainability, the Public Programme of the summit covered three scales: the macro scale, which aims to reflect on how cities can become more sustainable through public policies; the urban scale, focusing on concrete cases reflecting the outcomes of such policies; and the scale of a building. ‘Building Futures Together’ served as the motto for the Annual Summit programme.

The Annual Summit aimed to facilitate cross-regional exchange, bringing together perspectives and expertise from diverse fields of knowledge. It was a unique opportunity for the Open House community—including anyone planning to launch an Open House festival in their city—to come together, learn, exchange knowledge, and share experiences.

The event was organised by the Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Associazione Open House Milano, Asociación Open Urbanity from Bilbao, and Open House Europe coordinators, together with the support of Open House Worldwide.

Coordinator: Architektūros fondas;
Financed by the Lithuanian Council for Culture;
Annual Summit Host: Lisbon Architecture Triennale;
Annual Summit Partners: Lisbon City Council, Público;
Video Production: Disaster;
Co-funded by the European Union.