Open House Dublin ─ the free festival of architecture brought to you annually by the Irish Architecture Foundation ─ is taking place across Dublin city and county, including in South Dublin, over nine days from 12th to 20th October.
A cycling tour of the Dodder Valley greenway, tours of the new Work IQ space which is part of South Dublin County Council’s new urban district, ‘Parthalán Place’, and a guided tour of the recently transformed Saggart Schoolhouse Community Centre, are among many events supported by South Dublin County Council for this year’s festival.
Overall, the programme for 2024 features more than 200 events for everyone to experience free of charge this October, with guided tours of buildings, outdoor spaces and private houses, conversations on current topics, exhibitions, architects’ studio visits, workshops and more on the line-up.
This year’s Open House Dublin will start with a dedicated Junior Weekend for children and families on the 12th and 13th of October, with the main programme of events, including tours of buildings, outdoor spaces and residences taking place from 18th to 20th October. In between, a number of innovative events will be taking place, including at the OHD Info Hub located this year at Charlemont Walk, Dublin 2.
As part of the Junior Weekend, families will have the opportunity to partake in a fun and interactive architecture workshop at the Work IQ space in Tallaght, to learn and explore ideas about their local area.
Tours of two new age-friendly housing developments in South Dublin will also be happening, namely at Little Arbour, Templeogue Village and Brady’s Court at Old bawn Way, Dublin 24.
Welcoming the announcement of the programme of events for Open House Dublin 2024, Cian Harte, County Architect for South Dublin County Council, said: “South Dublin County Council is pleased to announce that it is taking part in the Open House Dublin festival of architecture again this October. We have introduced a series of new events that highlight the continuing development of South Dublin’s urban core and beyond. This year we are placing a particular emphasis on our ongoing programme of age-friendly housing, as well as on other important aspects of community and urban design, such as the greenway along the Dodder river and the recently completed project at Ely Arch. Tours are also on offer of the recently opened Saggart Schoolhouse Community Centre and the newly opened Work IQ space, which is part of South Dublin County Council’s new urban district, ‘Parthalán Place’. This schedule of events will give everyone an opportunity to see and hear more about the vibrant and dynamic evolution of the area. We’re looking forward to opening up our buildings and spaces to everyone.”
Themed Events
Open House Dublin is part of Open House Europe, a collaborative network of 12 festivals, which has a theme of access and inclusion for 2024. Events that reflect this theme are taking place elsewhere on the Open House Dublin programme including tactile tours with 3D models for people with visual impairment, developed with architect Tadhg Charles and Emilie Conway, a visually impaired artist and art activist, on 20th October at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and the Museum of Literature of Ireland (MOLI). The workshop Drawing and Writing in the City will explore buildings and spaces through smell, touch, hearing, taste and sight on 19th September, while Irish Sign Language tours will also be happening at several locations during the festival.
2024 programme highlights
New programme strand Open Studios will see 12 studios and offices of architects dotted around Dublin city and county opening their doors to the public and giving behind-the-scenes access to how architects design Dublin and its buildings, between the 15th and 20th October.
A LEGOⓇ competition will run online as part of the festival, inviting children everywhere to get building, with special prizes up for grabs. For people who like surprises, a Mystery Tour has been added this year of an OPW-owned building on 19th October.
Announcing this year’s programme for Open House Dublin, Emmett Scanlon, director of the Irish Architecture Foundation, said: “For the Irish Architecture Foundation, Open House Dublin is our invitation, open to all, to hold a mirror to the county and city and together face what we see. I am certain this year, at our nineteenth edition, thousands of people of all ages will go on tours, experiencing Dublin’s architectural marvels and triumphs, past and present; thousands more will bear witness to the work of strong, diverse, communities, champions of their place, who continue to be the foundations upon which the very best of Dublin is built. From the runway to the greenway, to the harbour to the home, I hope you all join us at this year’s Open House Dublin.”
All Open House Dublin events are free. Pre-booking is required for some events. Pre-booking for ticketed events opens at 9:00am on the 19th September on www.OpenHouseDublin.com, where full details of the programme, including which events require pre-booking, can be found.
Pic credit: Ben Ryan
