In a weekend to remember for those who love architecture, thousands of people went exploring in Christchurch as an annual festival saw 50 of the city’s most fascinating buildings open their doors to the public.
Open Christchurch is the largest of its kind in New Zealand. It saw over 700 people visit Marian College – the school housed in a converted supermarket warehouse – while more than 300 people got a peek behind the closed doors of the Former MED Converter and Substation.
A flood of people visited crime writer Dame Ngaio Marsh’s home, their guide telling them “Ngaio really loved this house she said it was the fourth member of her family, she was an only child.”
Ngaio Marsh Heritage Trust spokesperson Jessica Peterson said: “We get to show off this beautiful taonga that we have in Christchurch, to Christchurch people”.
Those who visited were delighted.
“This is my Mother’s Day pressie and we like to do something that’s a little bit different,” one attendee said. Another, a Christchurch librarian said: “I’m a vociferous reader and love mysteries so she's right up my alley”.
It wasn’t just old buildings who welcomed people in. Some were so new, they’re not even completed, like Youth Hub which saw its tours booked out.
“We've had a lot of very interested people coming through, full of questions full of support,” Project Manager Gareth Salisbury said.
The tour took place in the same week the Youth Hub trust sought $2 million from the council to complete the first stage.
"We want to make sure that we're a prototype for the rest of the country so that Christchurch again leads the way," Trust Chairperson Sue Bagshaw said.
On the other side of town, people queued for a glimpse of the Observatory in the Arts Centre, one visitor commenting on how important it is to have access to these buildings, “oh very important it’s the essence of Christchurch really the Arts Centre”.
Open Christchurch takes ten months to plan, and Jessica Halliday, Te Putahi Director said the festival, “gives people a chance to explore the city through architecture, this is a really unique way for people to experience one of our most important cultural art forms, with up to 12,000 pairs of feet entering the open doors over the weekend”.
Open Christchurch returns May 2 to 5 in 2025 for another weekend-long festival showcasing some of Ōtautahi’s best architecture.
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