Open Wide, Come Inside…
They did it in Limerick and Slovenia last week. This week it’s Brisbane’s turn, along with Lisbon and New York. And, later this month, Chicago, Thessaloniki and Barcelona will all be doing it.
If you love your hometown, appreciate great design and enjoy a good story, this weekend is definitely for you. It also helps if you’re the curious type.
This weekend, 8-9 October, the doors to more than 100 of our best-loved and most brilliant buildings will be thrown open for a behind-the-scenes view as our city holds its 7th annual Brisbane Open House.
Each year since 2010, in conjunction with World Architecture Day, the event encourages us to explore, re-examine and engage with Brisbane’s built environment, opening our eyes and minds to excellent design and interesting spaces. It really is a fantastic way to promote the merits of design excellence in our houses, commercial buildings and public places.
‘Open House’ was created by London-based architect organisation Open-City in 1992. Over more than two decades, it became London’s largest and best-known architectural showcase. Now, more than a million people around the word participate under the ‘Open House Worldwide’ banner. To quote the founders:
“World cities see Open House as the best way to profile the effect that planning, conservation, design and regeneration of the contemporary city has on the quality of their citizens’ lives, and the interest continues to grow in other cities worldwide as this turns into a powerful cultural movement with unique reach.”
This year, we are can explore 100 buildings and places, the widest range of buildings ever showcased in Brisbane. Founding partners, the Queensland Government, Brisbane Development Association, and the National Trust have been joined by Brisbane City Council and dozens of sponsors and supporters including most of our major architecture firms.
So, what can you see? In and around the city, many magnificent old churches reveal treasures like Queensland’s oldest stained glass (All Saints Anglican Church, 1869). Discover the secret grandeur of the Masonic Memorial Temple in Ann Street, and enjoy an organ recital at St Andrews Uniting Church.
Guided tours provide fascinating insights into the workings of the ABC building at South Bank, Queensland Art Gallery, the Conservatorium of Music and QPAC. And you can visit the architects themselves, some in historic buildings like the former Naval Offices at the bottom of Edward Street (Archipelago), and Arkhefeld in an old 1900 brewery, others like Architectus, Woods Bagot, Wilson and BVN in stunning modern studios.
Explore usually hidden parts of our greatest heritage buildings, Brisbane City Hall, Customs House, Spring Hill Service Reservoirs, The Commissariat Store and Parliament House. See gems that are never normally accessible, like the elegant 1927 Craigston apartment building on Wickham Terrace.
Theatre buffs will enjoy a backstage glimpse of Brisbane Arts Theatre, our longest-running independent theatre company (since 1936), La Boite’s 2013 purpose-built theatre in the round, the Roundhouse Theatre, and the magnificent 1888 Princess Theatre at Wooloongabba, our only largely intact 19th century theatre.
If medical facilities pique your curiosity, there’s plenty to see around Herston, including the 1939 UQ Mayne Medical School, with its copper dome and massive columns, or modern marvels the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and UQ Centre for Clinical Research.
Science and industry are showcased at the Queensland Herbarium in Toowong, Archerfield Airport, and Port of Brisbane, including the state-or-the-art automated container handling facility, the Patrick Autostrad Terminal.
Diverse destinations in the suburbs will take you from the eerie surrounds of buildings at what was once the Woogaroo Lunatic Asylum (Wolston Park) to beautifully renovated Hanwood House (1864) at East Brisbane, an historic gem that was hidden for nearly 150 years.
Pre-bookings are required for a number of design highlights, particularly private homes with intriguing names like D House, Folkhouse, Garden Room House, In-between Room, and Left Over Space House. A particular favourite is the landmark Torbreck apartment building (1959-61) at Highgate Hill, which was honoured in 2014 with an Australian Institute of Architects Enduring Architecture Award.
Bookings are also needed to visit Government House ‘Fernberg’ at Bardon, The Moreton Club at New Farm, Tattersall’s Club in the City, and for guided tours of the State Archives, State Library, Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium, Walter Taylor Bridge, and our state’s oldest building, the Spring Hill Windmill Tower (est. 1828).
There are also plenty of Open House events in conjunction with the festival – a speaker series, children’s program, photography competition, workshops for budding architecture students, ‘Made in Brisbane’ program celebrating creative manufacturing and craft industries, walking tours, soirees, storytelling and performances.
So satisfy your curiosity and rediscover the wonderful heritage buildings and stunning new additions to our built environment. They’re all there, crouched beneath the ever-expanding columns of high rise towers, waiting to welcome you with open doors.
To plan your tour, visit brisbaneopenhouse.com.au.
