29 Aug 2023

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Calling all architecture enthusiasts, designers and curious neighbours. It’s your chance to nominate a building or space worth celebrating in next year’s Open Christchurch event.

The festival weekend will return from 3 to 5 May 2024, and offers a chance for anyone to share their inside knowledge and love of Ōtautahi’s best buildings.

Reveal a hidden gem, a quiet achiever, or acknowledge well-frequented architectural works by putting forward places that are important to you. 

As seen in previous years and the range of talks, tours, exhibitions and activities, the festival caters to a widespread and genuine desire to discover and explore the city’s special spaces. Make a day of the free and accessible festival by exploring the city on foot or by bike. 

Te Pūtahi Director Jessica Halliday says each year the call for nominations for Open Christchurch brings unexpected and exciting works of architecture to their attention. "We encourage anyone who knows of a special or intriguing gem of a building to tell us about it and why it should be included in Open Christchurch 2024."

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

The nominations’ process is simple. It just requires permission from the building owner and occupier. Being nominated is not a commitment to participate.

The final selection of buildings and sites will be decided by Te Pūtahi’s Building Council. They’ll consider many ways in which buildings can be exceptional, including design excellence, rarity, contribution to the city’s history and sense of place, significance to Māori architecture and history, innovation, sustainability, and heritage significance.

Open Christchurch offers attendees the chance to experience great design first-hand and access buildings or parts of buildings that are normally off limits. Festival organisers see the public nominations process as means for more people to contribute to this endeavour. 

The nominations form and the complete list of building criteria can be found on the Open Christchurch website. Nominations close on 15 September 2023.

Image: Mt Pleasant Community Centre (Chris Moller Architecture & Urbanism, 2016). Photo by Peanut Productions.