A Festival of Architecture Built on Stories

A festival of architecture is built on stories, which in their telling bind people and place. As a festival, Open House Dublin has long since been an occasion at which the city and county and those who live and work there gather to tell their stories and hear those of others. In many ways this is the power of this festival. Open House gives Dublin a voice and lends it an ear. Perhaps why Open House has been around for this city and county for twenty years is that festival after festival, the IAF puts in place the ways and walks, the tours and talks Dublin needs so the stories of its past, present and future are made accessible and available to all. 

At a time of many crises on this island and around the globe, at a time of housing shortage, neglect of the public realm, abandoned buildings, rising climate issues and a strong mood in the air for change, you might well ask, who has the time to tell stories and what is the point of listening to them? But stories are, in fact, key to change. As Ben Okri wrote, ‘stories are the secret reservoir of values: change the stories individuals and nations live by and tell themselves, and you change the individuals and nations.’ 

We in the IAF believe in the power of stories, because we know the main thing that needs to be changed is how we value the built environment. Rather than a commodity, or objects of property to be bought and sold, our rooms, buildings, streets and squares are precious things, holding and writing the stories of who we are and who we wish to become individually, as communities and, as a nation. In January when we begin planning for Open House Dublin, our focus is on finding the often hidden stories of our city, celebrating our great architecture, urban design and championing the thousands of people that contribute to the culture, creation and care of Dublin. This year we have more stories than ever.

Back in January, I sat on one of two benches on O’ Connell Street, for a photograph for the Irish Times. It was part of a story on the street and its future, linked to our Open House Europe summit, The City Invites. It was then decided to make this street part of our work in the IAF. Our office is 100m from it; we use it every day. What is happening on O’Connell Street, the main street of Dublin, the high street of Ireland, in terms of our buildings, public realm and the values we place on these, is happening right across the island. Working with the brilliant photographer Rich Gilligan, we documented O’Connell Street, working to reveal its majesty, to show its elegant reality, reminding us of its potent potential. While this Open House festival has Dublin at the end of its name, after twenty years Open House Dublin is now a festival of national value and international repute, now forever rooted on O’Connell Street, where so many of the stories that have made us who we are, have been written and told. It is your street, your festival – come tell us your story this October.

Photo of O’Connell Street by Rich Gilligan for Open House Dublin 2025.