Te Pūtahi Centre for Architecture and City-Making has unveiled the programme for Open Christchurch 2026, a three-day Festival of Architectural Excellence celebrating Ōtautahi’s standout buildings and the role good design plays in shaping a vibrant, liveable city.
Running from 1–3 May, this year’s festival is the largest yet, inviting residents and visitors to connect with the city through 52 open buildings, two cycle tours, four guided walks and more than 40 activities.
Spanning 165 years of residential and public architecture, the programme ranges from the iconic Sugarloaf Transmission Tower to distinctive commercial landmarks such as 200 High Street.
It shines a light on design excellence in recreation and sustainability, while also highlighting unusual and unexpected gems across the city.
Visitors can experience contemporary innovation alongside heritage favourites, and see how architecture contributes to Christchurch’s evolving sense of place.
A major drawcard for 2026 is the opportunity to be among the first to explore One New Zealand Stadium, the newest addition to the city’s recreation landscape.
In partnership with Venues Ōtautahi and Christchurch City Council, Open Christchurch will host a public open day and free, bookable tours celebrating the stadium’s architecture, engineering and design.
Specially designed tours will also be offered for blind and low-vision visitors, the deaf community and people with mobility requirements on Saturday 2 May, underscoring the festival’s commitment to accessibility.
The programme features a rich mix of one-off events and behind-the-scenes access. Highlights include an opening night speaker event hosted by architecture podcast 76 Small Rooms at the modernist Harewood Crematorium, where guests discuss the buildings they want to see before they die.
Other experiences include family-friendly student-led tours at Te Raekura Redcliffs School, an architecture tour of Parakiore – the country’s largest sports and recreation facility – and the Ōtautahi in Bricks exhibition, where LEGO builders recreate some of the city’s special buildings.
Festival-goers can also go behind closed doors at key infrastructure and commercial sites. Experiences include a rare look inside Transpower’s South Island Control System Building, access to the Christchurch Fresh Distribution Centre and selected private residences, and a visit behind the hoardings of mass timber project 211 High Street to see cutting-edge sustainable construction in action.
Guided walks explore topics such as postmodernism and designed cultural and living landscapes that weave together te taiao and Kāi Tahu narratives, while cycle tours take in public spaces and bridges along the City to Sea Pathway and showcase engineered timber buildings.
Whānau-focused activities are woven throughout the weekend. Families can take part in an architecture treasure hunt, a mini-figure hunt at the Teece Museum, Open Christchurch-themed activities at Imagination Station and a Reflection Lounge at Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre’s Common Room, where visitors can relax with curated architecture books and creative media.
Old favourites return too, including behind-the-scenes access to the Observatory Hotel at the Arts Centre and university hall of residence College House, along with talks and tours at well-loved sites such as Addington Railway Station, Sumner Post Office, Antigua Boatsheds, Timeball Station and Mona Vale.
The festival also offers opportunities to think more deeply about architecture and style. Saturday night’s “Style-ish” event at The Gymnasium (Altiora), Te Matatiki Toi Ora, sees invited speakers from a range of backgrounds share rapid-fire talks in a 20 x 20 format, questioning whether architectural style still matters today.
Across more than 40 talks, tours, exhibitions and workshops, Open Christchurch encourages people to see familiar buildings in new ways and discover places they may never have entered before.
Te Pūtahi director Jessica Halliday says, “We all know Ōtautahi Christchurch is a special place – and Open Christchurch is a celebration of this place, its architecture, history and designed spaces.
“Architecture literally shapes our lives and Open Christchurch invites everyone to explore a diverse range of the city’s buildings, many of which we don’t have access to on a regular basis.
“We welcome the city’s residents and visitors to Ōtautahi to plan their Open Christchurch adventure – come and explore these special buildings, encounter a place you might not otherwise know or get to know a treasured building better. The doors are open.”
Visit openchch.nz for more information.
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