Click to enlargeCathedral Grammar Junior School (Tezuka Architects and Andrew Barrie Lab, 2016; playground: F3 Design, 2017). Image: Peanut Productions 1 of 7Isaac Theatre Royal (Sidney & Alfred Luttrell, 1908; restoration: Warren and Mahoney, 2014). Image: Peanut Productions 2 of 7Te Ora Hou tautahi (Field Studio of Architecture & Urbanism, 2022). Image: Peanut Productions 3 of 7Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings (Benjamin Mountfort, 185865). Image: Peanut Productions 4 of 7Lyttelton Studio Monastery (Bull OSullivan Architecture, 2015). Image: Sarah Rowlands5 of 7The Court Theatre (Athfield Architects & Haworth Tompkins, 2025). Image: Peanut Productions 6 of 7Korako Whnau Papakinga (Royal Associates Architects, 2023). Image: Sarah Rowlands7 of 7The annual Open Christchurch festival is set to once again celebrate tautahis most exceptional architecture and design at the start of May. Amanda Harkness takes a closer look at whats in store.This years Open Christchurch festival, presented by Te Ptahi Centre for Architecture and City-Making, takes place over three days, from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 May. Throughout the event, visitors will have the opportunity toenjoy 51 buildings, two designed landscapes, five guided walks and more than 40 activities, in what will be the festivals largest programme todate.From the biggest building, Te Kaha Stadium, to the tiniest treasure, Bull OSullivan Architectures Chapel of St Thrse of Lisieux, the programme spans a rich variety of buildings, landscapes and experiences, says Te Ptahi director JessicaHalliday.Two of the themes covered by the festival this year will be design excellence in performance spaces and the works of pre-eminent local Gothic Revival architect, Benjamin Mountfort, in commemoration of the bicentenary of hisbirth.Festival goers will be among the first to experience the latest addition to the citys performing arts space, The Court Theatre, as well as having the opportunity to join an evening considering the enduring power of the wharenui and great hall, take part in youth-led tours of the mixed-use centre the Youth Hub, be hosted by whnau at Rpaki School, Church and the Korako Whnau Papakinga and explore the extravagant Peter Beavan-designed Chateau on the Park with an architecturalhistorian.Halliday says there will also be a number of one-off and special access experiences, such as seeing behind the hoardings during construction on a tour of Te Kaha Stadium, heading into the archives at the Macmillan Brown Library to view Mounforts original drawings with expert Dr Ian Lochhead, and visiting private residences and the Former Wellington Woollen Mills Manufacturing Company, now the hybrid hotel The DrifterChristchurch.Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings (Benjamin Mountfort, 185865).Image: Peanut ProductionsPeople are invited to explore the city in different ways, whether that be experiencing the much-loved Tkaro Poi Margaret Mahy Family Playground in full swing; exploring the joyful Cathedral Grammar Junior School on an architectural or engineering tour; discovering East Frame residential projects or taking in the exhibition, Mountfort and the Canterbury Museum, at Tranga, saysHalliday.A range of whnau-based activities will also be on offer, including an architecture treasure hunt, craft workshops and a youth-based designworkshop.Open Christchurch will begin with a speaker event in the Great Hall at Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre on the evening of Friday 2 May, where Te Khui Whaihanga NZIA Gold Medallist Professor Deidre Brown will take guests through the two traditions of the wharenui and the great hall and other speakers will explore what these gathering spaces mean tothem.The full programme continues on Saturday and Sunday, where the 51 featured buildings of different ages, styles and uses will be open for the public to experience for free, with the exception of a small number of limited entry projects and experiences that will require a nominal bookingfee.Halliday says the festivals Saturday night event will offer different ways of thinking about Christchurchs built legacy. At Children of the Christchurch Modernists, children of prominent Christchurch Modern architects will share their thoughts about growing up with the distinctive buildings of the era and their designers, considering both anew as they lookback.The Court Theatre (Athfield Architects & Haworth Tompkins, 2025).Image: Peanut ProductionsFive guided walks will explore different ways of seeing the city, and two designed landscapes will offer alternative ways to consider our urban spaces. Meanwhile, the Court Theatre will provide audio-described, mobility friendly and New Zealand Sign Languagetours.Old favourites will also return to this years programme, including behind-closed-doors access to the Observatory Hotel at the Arts Centre and the university hall of residence College House, and more than 40 activities (talks, tours, exhibitions and workshops) will provide additionalavenues to learn about the citysarchitecture.Open Christchurch is an annual celebration of free access to tautahis best buildings, aiming to make Christchurch more open, accessible and inclusive, says Halliday. Our city has so many fascinating buildings so be nosey, satisfy your curiosity and feel welcome to explore our city through architecture over Open Christchurchweekend.NoteEvent organisers encourage residents and visitors to study the programme and website to create their own itinerary of highlights so that they can discover the city in newways.Buildings are open at different times across the weekend, bookable activities are timetabled and a handful of buildings require advancebookings.Visit openchch.nz for bookings, building-specific accessibility and moreinformation.