Saturday 28 May 2005
'Open house' for city landmarks
Significant buildings in four main city centres will be open for special public viewing to celebrate the Year of the
Built Environment 2005, Environment and Urban Affairs Minister Marian Hobbs announced today.
'Open House' events will be held on successive Sundays in Dunedin, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in June and
July. People will be able to visit a variety of buildings and sites from water works and theatres to temples and parks,
many of which are not regularly open to the public.
"As New Zealanders, we have always delighted in the beauty of our natural environment,” Marian Hobbs said. "As it is the
Year of the Built Environment 2005, we want to broaden that focus to include the stunning architecture and urban design
that grace our cities and towns.
"Open House is a perfect opportunity to give people a new perspective on the buildings, spaces and structures in which
we work, live and play. It will give us a fun look into buildings and spaces we've passed a hundred times, wondering
what goes on inside."
The Open House events will be free and expert guides will be on hand to tell the story of each site, chosen because of
an outstanding feature or contribution to its local environment. Open House events will be held on the following days:
Dunedin – June 12 Auckland – June 19 Wellington – June 26 Christchurch – July 3
Open House is part of the Year of the Built Environment 2005 events being organised by the Ministry for the Environment
with support from the New Zealand Institute of Architects and a consortium of local government, industry, research
organisations and professional institutes.
ENDS