Fascinating Chch buildings open to the public, free, on Sunday

Open House -- a chance to look around a selection of the city¡¯s significant buildings on Sunday ¨C is part of events organised for the Year of the Built Environment. Supported by the City Council, Open House allows people to explore interesting places. It is free and runs from 10am to 5pm on Sunday , 3 July.

Open House sites were selected to illustrate how cites can and perhaps should change: adaptive re-use of existing buildings, the provision of new amenities through city spaces and places, the development of environmentally sustainable design, and new cutting-edge architecture that reflects a difficult context.

At most of the places being opened to the public this weekend, there will be guided tours and storytellers to point out special features. Free Open House buses, departing on the hour outside the Christchurch Art Gallery, will take visitors to the Lyttelton Tunnel and to Canterbury University¡¯s Ilam Campus. An information counter in the Arts Centre will be open on 1-3 July to answer questions and provide site maps to the venues.

The following buildings are included in Open House:

¡ñ Jazz School, CPIT, 130 High St

¡ñ Hallensteins, 263 High St. New building houses a new school. The top floor is a wonderful space flooded with natural light. Architect Roland Fretwell and interior designer Peter Wynward will be on hand to explain their work.

¡ñ South of Lichfield, 96 Lichfield St. An important example of urban renewal.

¡ñ Marokapara courtyard, 351 Manchester St. Stunning courtyard celebrates the underlying nature of this place.

¡ñ Christ¡¯s College Dining Hall, 1-33 Rolleston Ave. Drawing on his 30 years as College Architect, old boy Sir Miles Warren will be on hand from 10.30am to 1pm to talk about the recently refurbished dining hall.

¡ñ Lyttelton Tunnel Building, 3 Bridle Path Rd. Enter the control room and see the views from the roof. Meet the architect, Peter Beaven.

¡ñ Environment Canterbury Centre, 58 Kilmore St. Even heat from the computers is recycled in this clean, green office.

¡ñ Maths, Statistics and Computer Science Building, Ilam Campus, University of Canterbury, Engineering Rd. Winner of a national architecture award.

¡ñ Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, 136 Barbadoes St. Attend the 10.30am service ¨C featuring an orchestra and choir -- and the midday service ¨C conducted in Samoan. Guided tours at 2pm and 3pm.

Similar events, organised by the Ministry for the Environment in partnership with the local authority, have been held in Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland.

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