Open House Athens, the capital’s greatest architectural event takes place on April 6th and 7th, along with a wide range of events and parallel activities starting March 29th. Open House Athens provides a unique opportunity for the public to interact with the city and connect with its urban space and architecture.
Open House Athens is an annual event to enhance the understanding of architecture. Visitors enjoy free guided tours of public and private spaces that kindly open their doors, and get inspired by the power of architecture and the ways it transforms our lives. The tours are conducted by volunteers, allowing participants to explore buildings, learn about their architectural significance, and discover the city’s cultural heritage. Open House Athens 2025 is taking place under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Sports and the City of Athens.
This year’s Open House Athens, under the title “Future Heritage – The Architecture of Today, the Heritage of Tomorrow” focuses on the significance of architecture as a means of shaping future cultural heritage. The emphasis is on contemporary architectural creation and innovative design that demonstrates that the cultural narrative of the future is shaped by the restoration, preservation, and adaptive reuse of monuments and historic buildings as well as contemporary architecture. The idea is to highlight the dynamic relationship between architectural heritage and contemporary design.
Open House Athens 2025 features 70 public and private buildings residences, offices, museums and hotels) of architectural interest and explores the connection between architectural heritage and the future, the preservation of the historical identity of buildings, the reuse of spaces in innovative ways, and the integration of the principles of sustainable architecture. The buildings fall into the following categories:
• Preserved Heritage: Buildings of historical or architectural value that have maintained their original form, even if they have undergone restoration or conservation work. It highlights the importance of architectural heritage and the value of preserving the authenticity of spaces within the modern urban landscape.
• Transformation: Buildings that have been restored or redesigned with a modern perspective to meet new needs.
• Sustainable Design: Contemporary buildings in harmony with the environment that incorporate new technologies, smart materials, and the principles of sustainable design.
• Innovation Cluster: This category includes modern workspaces and collaboration areas that integrate innovative design practices, sustainable solutions, and cutting-edge technologies.
As part of the promotion of the “Future Heritage” theme, the following activities and parallel events are also planned:
- Future Heritage Open Walks: This parallel event takes us on a journey through time and guides us through lesser-known but particularly interesting architectural and historical aspects of the city. Three architectural routes highlight the theme from different perspectives, exploring the history of vacation residences, urban construction with interwar and postwar apartment buildings of the Modernist movement around green spaces, and the role of lighting in showcasing architectural heritage. This year it includes:
The Mansions of Kifissia (summer residences in the northern suburbs of Athens that appeared at the end of the 19th century featuring impressive architecture that highlights the luxury and social status of their former owners)
Kipseli through Fokionos Negri Street (an excellent example of urban development around a green core. The area features interwar and post-war apartment buildings of the Modernist movement, reflecting the social and political changes of their time)
Unveiling Athens Through Light (a route that reveals the importance of lighting in the historic center of Athens)
- OPEN PHOTO Photography Competition: The public is invited to capture the theme of this year’s Open House through their own perspective, with the best entries winning unique prizes.
- MADE in Athens This parallel event aims to connect the public with the production processes and techniques—both contemporary and traditional—used to create objects (textile design, handmade accessories, ceramics, bookbinding, jewelry). Visitors have the opportunity to tour the spaces and get a close look at the different stages of the production process. The tours are conducted by the creators themselves, are free of charge, and do not require a reservation.
TAGS: ARTS
