Admission is free, but some spaces will have limited availability and prior registration is required. The event in Brno will be attended in person by Victoria Thornton, founder of Open House Worldwide. Photo: Alfa pasáž. // Credit: Casadei Graphics.
Brno, Mar 21 (BD) – The Open House Festival is the greatest architectural festival in the world, and has been running for 27 years. Taking place in 45 cities on six continents, it welcomes around 2 million visitors each year. Brno joined the festival for the first time last year, with around 8,000 visitors to 23 different locations. This year, organisers TIC BRNO and Kultura & Management are expanding the Brno event to two days, with 68 separate locations.
“We started the Open House project because it resonates with our long-term priority of discovering the city. When we launched registrations last year, the server crashed due to the huge interest. That’s why we are expanding it this year, and we look forward to seeing what a new weekend full of open architecture will bring us,” said Jana Janulíková, director of TIC BRNO.
The range of buildings opening their doors is extremely varied, from engineering buildings at Brno Dam and the sewage treatment, through residential spaces such as villas Arnold and Giskrova, to medical facilities such as the After-treatment and rehabilitation department and International Clinical Research Center at the University Hospital u sv. Anny, industrial buildings such as the Hauskrecht brewery, and numerous sporting, cultural, and historical sites. The oldest site included in the festival is the House of Lords of Lipá (1589), and the newest are the recently opened Avast offices in Vlněna (2018). The festival will also include a number of locations outside the city centre, in suburbs including Židenice, Bystrc and Řečkovice.
“Open House opens the city. It can draw unexpected connections into stories that one would not otherwise experience. Architecture becomes an open book for children, enthusiasts, and foreigners living in Brno. We are proud to have around three times the number of places as last year, and we already have 100 volunteers,” said Lucie Šilerová, chairwoman of the Culture & Management Association and festival programmer.
One innovation this year is the themed guided tours of Brno’s statues, musical stories, arboretums and parks, around Lužánky, Špilberk, and the architecture of the Lesná housing estate. The organizers are also running a special program for children of (non-school) architecture, under the supervision of Jana Kaštánková, as well as guided tours for English and German speakers.
The three ambassadors for Open House Brno 2019 are the rector of Mendel University, Professor Danuše Nerudová, distinguished Czech painter Petr Kvíčala, and Ondřej Chybík, winner of the Grand Prix of the Society of Architects and co-founder of the successful Chybik + Kristof Architects & Urban Designers studio. Victoria Thornton, founder of the Open House Worldwide network, will also attend the festival in person.
When: Weekend, April 13-14; registration process starts April 8.
More info: https://www.gotobrno.cz/festival/open-house-brno-2019/
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