July: Porto, Brisbane, and Melbourne festivals

Mercado do Bolhão. Photo: Guilherme Costa Oliveira / CM Porto

OPEN HOUSE PORTO
PORTO, PORTUGAL
6-7 JULY

The 9th edition of Open House Porto joins the nationwide celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April revolution. Under the theme "50 Years of Building Freedom” and curated by architects Teresa Novais and Margarida Quintã, 60 buildings will be open for visits in the cities of Maia, Matosinhos, Porto, and Vila Nova de Gaia. Highlights include the Bolhão Market, the Beaux Art building reopened to the public in 2022 after a renovation by architect Nuno Valentim; Escola Superior Artística do Porto, the new headquarters designed by architects Fátima Fernandes, João Carreira, and Michele Cannatà of the UNESCO-associated school; and the Caminho das Escadinhas, an urban revitalization project that creates a new pedestrian route between the hillside of the Monte Xisto and the bank of the River Leça in Matosinhos.

Wolston Farmhouse. Photo: China Squirrel

BRISBANE OPEN HOUSE
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA
13-14 JULY

Brisbane Open House 2024 celebrates Brisbane's history, heritage and architecture with a packed program that includes iconic buildings such as Wolston Farmhouse, Brisbane’s oldest surviving residential farmhouse, and Centenary Pool, a centrepiece of the Queensland 1959 centenary celebrations. The lineup also includes new projects like Thomas Dixon Centre, Queensland Ballet’s state-of-the-art home in a former shoe factory, the city pad meets tropical treehouse BVN—The Annex offices, and the art and culture hub Brisbane Powerhouse. This year’s Villages of Brisbane celebrates the vibrant, inner-city suburb of New Farm. 

Photo courtesy of Open House Melbourne

OPEN HOUSE MELBOURNE WEEKEND
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
27-28 JULY

Discovery is about the unexpected. It’s something for the curious at heart, the adventurer, and the lifelong learner interested in exploring Melbourne’s most unique places and spaces. The 2024 Open House Melbourne festival invites participants to rediscover the city, seek out new places, and reconnect with old favourites. 

The 2024 programme includes building openings, tours, talks, and events that teach participants about Melbourne, provide insight into how the city works, and demonstrate the significant role that design has to play in addressing the critical issues shaping its form, future, and identity. Stay tuned for the programme reveal on June 26!