This year, the Open House Dublin festival of architecture holds a mirror to the city and county, inviting you to debate and discuss all that you see, hear and feel. Mirrors allow us to see ourselves. They can show us the world, reflecting the vision and values that underpin a society as it builds. From the greenway to the runway, from the harbour to the home, join us for nine days of tours, conversations, exhibitions, studio visits, workshops and more.
Open House Dublin is Ireland’s largest festival of architecture. It has been produced and delivered for 19 years by the Irish Architecture Foundation (IAF) and is part of the Open House Worldwide and Open House Europe networks of festivals.
The festival kicks off with Open House Junior on 12th and 13th October, offering a weekend of creativity and imagination with events and hands-on activities specially designed for children and young people. Families can take part in workshops with Brazilian Japanese illustrator Debora Adachi and Syrian architect Muhammed Achour.
Children are invited to create innovative structures and spaces through photo collage at the Photo Museum Ireland, build a city at the Chester Beatty library, enter the Open House LEGO competition, discover biodiversity at the Wildlife Safari in Marlay Park or visit quiet hour at the Book of Kells experience.
Choose from over 200 events, visit unique buildings, places and neighbourhoods with expert-led tours celebrating the architecture of Dublin and the stories of those who design, build and care for the city and county. This year the festival will have an Info Hub and exhibition space on Charlemont Walk, Dublin 2, where visitors can find out what’s on and discover Open House Extra, a selection of new exhibitions and installations on public space, housing and finding a place to sit down in Dublin by Aisteach Queer Housing, Rubble, Laura Ferry and Peter O’Grady. Festival-goers will get the chance to view parallel IAF events that will be taking place in the venue, including The Reason of Towns touring exhibition with architect Valerie Mulvin on the tradition and future of the Irish town (from 1st October).
New for 2024, Open Studios offers behind-the-scenes access to the design thinking and action that goes into the making of Dublin, with in-person tours and talks with architects at their design studios around Dublin.
Open Table, the popular series of lunchtime conversations, returns this year. With lunch provided at the Open House Info Hub on Charlemont Walk, these events empower people to participate in expert-led discussions on topical issues facing Dublin. Hosts this year include John Lannon from Doras, the independent organisation working to promote and protect the rights of people from a migrant background in Ireland; members of the team from Thrive Balbriggan who work to keep the character and identity of Balbriggan at the core of what they do, creating a mental health friendly community for all; May East author of the book What if Women Designed The City?; Declan Gaffney from Age Friendly Ireland on better ageing in place through great housing design; and Pauline O’Flynn of Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR) on the right to the city.
What happens when Dublin meets Paris? Join urban planner and philosopher Marion Waller and award winning Paris-Olympic architect Nicolas Guérin/NP2F – architectes for an evening of discussion on bicycles, trees, sport, housing, heritage, history and the design culture and future of Dublin. The New Now Next talk is supported by Arup and takes place in Lighthouse Cinema on 19 October.
All festival events are free to attend, but some events require advance booking. Booking opens 9am 19 September at openhousedublin.com.
Image Credits: Ste Murray
