Civic events  |  Yesterday

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With just two days to go until Open Christchurch returns on 1-3 May, festival organisers Te Pūtahi Centre for Architecture and City-Making are preparing for a large turn out.

Thousands are expected at One New Zealand Stadium alone for the community open day on Saturday, presented in conjunction with Christchurch City Council.

Building on five previous editions, where attendees showed up in their thousands to experience some of the city’s best buildings and special spaces for free, the 2026 festival of architectural excellence presents its largest programme to date.

51 buildings will throw open their doors for the public to explore, while 40+ activities led by experts and volunteers offer visitors the chance to learn more about the spaces they encounter. 

The programme kicks off on Friday morning with guided tours of Christchurch Fresh Distribution Centre where attendees see how design excellence facilitates complex logistics, followed by an evening speaker event, ‘I’d die happy once I saw that’ at the modernist masterpiece Harewood Memorial Crematorium Gardens designed by Warren and Mahoney.

The release of the 2026 programme back in March confirmed people’s enthusiasm to connect with the city through its architecture, when coveted private residences and limited entry, unique architectural experiences booked out within hours - Sugar Loaf Transmission Tower proving particularly popular.

 

Sugarloaf Transmission Tower (Ministry of Works, 1965), photo courtesy of Kordia.

 

Highlights include the Ōtautahi in Bricks exhibition at Tūranga, where the New Zealand Lego Users Group has rendered 14 of the city’s iconic buildings in lego form, 10 of which attendees can visit in real life during the festival. 

Te Pūtahi wishes to highlight that the vast majority of the buildings in the programme do not require bookings and that visitors can simply turn up on the day at their open times. 

Additionally, there are many activities on offer where attendees can learn more about the spaces they are visiting. 

Jessica Halliday, Te Pūtahi’s director, is excited about the weekend.

“At Open Christchurch 2026, you’ll explore the city’s iconic buildings and hidden gems. Be ready for innovative design, rich stories, and inspiring spaces. It’s your chance to discover some remarkable buildings from the inside and to visit parts of the city you might not normally go to. Connect with the city, learn more about it and see it in a new light.”

Open Christchurch wishes to acknowledge and thank its family of supporters for making the 2026 festival possible: Open Christchurch Champion, Christchurch City Council; Principal Sponsors Gib & NZ Steel; Supporting Sponsors, Resene, VidaSpace, Blum and ECC; Event Partner, Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects; and Te Pūtahi Core Sponsors, Works and Kendons.

For the full programme, timetable of activities and accessibility information, please visit openchch.nz. 

Lyttelton Timeball Station, photo courtesy of Frank J. Visser.