Open House started life some 30 years ago in London, when 800 sites in the city were recognised as having both significance and historical value. Its founder, Victoria Thornton, had the idea that opening up historical sites freely to the public at certain times during the year would both create a sense of pride and public interest, as well as importantly ensuring their survival. Brisbane Open House began in 2010 as part of a broader movement that now involves over 60 cities across the world.
Middleton emphasises that the focus of Open House is about good architecture and that it is not just solely a heritage program: ‘Contemporary architecture is very much a focus of the program,’ he says, ‘though at least half of this year’s program would be considered to have a heritage component. And interestingly, over the years, a lot of the heritage of the city has also been associated with renewal and adaptive use.’
