The city's open doors
10 years of Open House Stockholm with architecture for everyone

Open House Stockholm has entertained, educated, and inspired Stockholmers by opening the city's doors – and is celebrating its anniversary this year by arranging its tenth festival. In some cases, it's about buildings and places you never otherwise get access to. In other cases, well-known places are opened up where the story of the place adds a new layer of understanding. But how did it all begin?

From London to Stockholm – Open House Worldwide

The Open House concept was born in London in 1992 where Victoria Thornton wanted to blur the line between the architectural community and the public. By inviting London residents to open houses in the city's buildings, architecture would speak for itself and the city's development would become more accessible to all. It became the start of a global network of architecture festivals. Open House Worldwide now extends to over 60 cities with around 1.2 million visitors and more than 6,000 open buildings during festivals worldwide.

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Open House Europe – samarbetet som bygger broar

In Europe, Open House cities have joined forces in the Open House Europe project, a three-year initiative that gathers festivals around themes such as sustainability, accessibility, and future heritage. Through joint discussions, volunteer exchanges, and public elements, perspectives are deepened and experiences are spread between cities and festivals.

In a time characterized by anxiety and uncertainty, it becomes especially valuable to build bridges between people and countries. Open House Europe connects 16 European cities in a network of friendship, cooperation, and knowledge sharing. Through the volunteer exchanges within Open House Europe, young people from Stockholm get the opportunity to travel, meet colleagues, be inspired by different working methods, and at the same time contribute with their own experiences. The knowledge and energy they bring home strengthens the festival in Stockholm and develops new perspectives on themes such as accessibility, sustainability, and inclusion.

At the same time, the cooperation means that Europe's architectural gems, from iconic buildings in major cities to lesser-known environments in smaller towns, can be made accessible to the public. By opening up these spaces, a shared sense of cultural heritage and future is created, where each festival becomes part of a larger European story. Open House Europe shows that architecture is not just about buildings, but also about relationships, ideas, and stories. When these are shared across borders, both the understanding of our common history and the hope for a more inclusive future are strengthened.

Open House Stockholm och the start 2016

Open House Stockholm was founded in 2015 by four associations: Samhällsbyggarna, Samhällsbyggnadslänken vid KTH, Stockholms Arkitektförening, and Stockholms Byggnadsförening. Each contributes its unique expertise, but together they form a unique alliance between academia, profession, and culture, with the goal of creating a festival that opens the city to all and thereby strengthens both citizen dialogue and the understanding of how architecture affects our lives.

Despite their different roles, the associations share a central conviction: that the city is everyone's common concern. They see architecture and the built environment not just as physical structures, but as cultural heritage, everyday surroundings, and future living spaces.

Samhällsbyggarna The Community Builders) works to disseminate knowledge and create networks throughout the entire community building sector.
Samhällsbyggnadslänken vid KTH (The Community Building Link at KTH Royal Institute of Technology) connects students, academia, and the business community and sees the festival as a chance to let the next generation participate in the conversation about the city's development.
Stockholms Arkitektförening (Stockholm Architects' Association), which is part of Sveriges Arkitekter (Architects Sweden), wants to make architecture more understandable and accessible to the public.
Stockholms Byggnadsförening (Stockholm Building Association), with a long tradition as a meeting place for the construction sector, sees Open House as a way to pass on and vitalize the building heritage in a modern context.

Through the associations' cooperation, Open House Stockholm has gained a solid foundation that combines professional knowledge, pedagogy, and cultural engagement, which makes the festival both credible and relevant – and which invites both the public and industry professionals to explore the city's architecture together.

Openness as citizen dialogue

Open House Stockholm is fundamentally a democratic project. When the doors open to homes, office buildings, churches, research environments, infrastructure objects, urban development projects, and cultural heritage, the city becomes accessible to everyone, not just experts and decision-makers. The built environment is something we all share and live in every day, and the festival creates a platform for citizen dialogue where the conversation about the city's development can take place between politicians, property owners, architects, researchers, and residents of all ages.

Participating in a guided tour might feel like a simple experience, but it is also an action that increases the understanding of how the city is shaped, why certain buildings look the way they do, and which values we choose to pass on to future generations.

Urban development often evokes emotions. Many agree that new housing, schools, offices, or infrastructure are needed but do not want it built right where they live. This phenomenon, often called NIMBY – Not In My Backyard, is a natural reaction to changes in one's own everyday environment.

By means of Open House Stockholm, residents are given the opportunity to understand the background to urban development decisions in a more concrete way, which also strengthens dialogue and participation in the city and ties into the festival's role as the living room of democracy. When a new building, a redeveloped area, or a debated place is opened up and explained by architects, planners, or property owners, it becomes clearer why the change is needed and what benefit it can bring to society as a whole.

Instead of just experiencing urban development as "something that happens from above," people can feel more involved and included in the process. Seeing a building from the inside, hearing the story of its purpose, and understanding the trade-offs that have been made can change the perspective from skepticism to curiosity and sometimes even pride.

In this way, the festival contributes to shifting the focus from "not here" to "we are part of what is happening." This strengthens not only the understanding of the city's development but also the trust between citizens, experts, and decision-makers.

Inclusion and participation

The festival's program is characterized by the ambition to reflect the entire society. By opening buildings and inviting people to places with different functions and symbolic values - everything from the corridors of power to everyday meeting places - a broader picture is created of what architecture and urban spaces mean for different groups of people.

Initiatives focusing on specific themes, such as accessibility, sustainability, and diversity, give a voice to groups that otherwise risk being left out of the conversation about the city. When visitors get to experience environments they otherwise would not have had access to, they can also feel more included in society's cultural heritage and future.

Volunteers, Ambassadors, and Reference Group

Behind the festival are not only organizers and partners but also hundreds of committed people.

The Volunteers are the backbone of the festival. They welcome visitors, guide, coordinate, and spread joy. For many, volunteering becomes an entry point into the industry or a way to make new contacts. For others, it's a chance to contribute voluntarily to the city's cultural life.
The Ambassadors help build bridges to different networks and target groups, consisting of people who are experts in their fields and deeply rooted in Stockholm's architecture and building world. They strengthen the festival's anchoring in society and ensure that more voices are heard.
The Reference Group acts as a sounding board and ensures that the festival's content reflects the most important contemporary issues concerning the city, architecture, and cultural heritage.

Together, these structures create a project that not only showcases the city but also takes place within the community, where people are given the opportunity to get involved and make an impact.

The living room of democracy

In a time when trust in public institutions is being tested and public debate is often polarized, Open House Stockholm fulfills a unique function. When buildings are opened up, whether they are city halls, homes, churches, research environments, or cultural institutions, a space is created where everyone can meet at eye level.

Suddenly, what is otherwise perceived as closed and exclusive becomes accessible and understandable. A municipal building is no longer just a facade where decisions are made behind closed doors, but a place where visitors can understand the processes that shape the city. A residential area is no longer just a mass of buildings, but a story about social ambitions, architectural ideas, and people's everyday lives.

The festival acts as a kind of living room of democracy, an open forum where conversations can arise spontaneously, curiosity is encouraged, and questions can be asked directly to those who plan, build, and develop the city. Here, it is not expertise speaking from above, but a dialogue where both professionals and the public contribute their perspectives.

Cultural heritage is no longer something static that should only be preserved, but a shared legacy that we collectively interpret, question, and pass on. In the same way, future urban development is not an abstract blueprint, but a shared process where citizens' understanding and commitment strengthen legitimacy, trust, and participation.

Calling Open House Stockholm the living room of democracy is therefore more than a metaphor; it is a reminder that the city belongs to us all and that its future is best shaped when we share the space with one another.

Ten years of festival – the milestones

During the ten years that Open House Stockholm has existed, the festival has grown and developed in both scope and content. Here are some of the most important milestones:

2016 – The Premiere: The very first festival took place the weekend of October 7–8 and featured 45 buildings and sites open to visitors.
2017–2019 – The Growth Phase: The festival grew steadily. In 2017, 59 sites opened (October 6–8), in 2018 45 sites (October 5–7), and in 2019 a total of 60 sites (October 4–6).
2020 – The Pandemic Year: The festival was moved to November 14–15 and adopted a hybrid model with digital content alongside physical visits.
2021–2022 – The Hybrid Format Remained: In 2021, 52 sites opened (October 1–3) and in 2022 75 sites (September 30–October 2), combining both digital and physical elements.
2023 - The Return: The festival took place September 29–October 1 with 67 sites, and public interest continued to increase. This year also marked the start of Open House Europe.
2024 – Focus on Sustainability and Inclusion: The festival highlighted parks, spaces for all ages, and other elements that reflected the Open House Europe theme of inclusion and accessibility.
2025 – The Anniversary Year: The festival on October 3–5 is now a natural part of the city's cultural calendar, with partnerships, volunteers, curious visitors, and a strong connection to the theme “Future Heritage” through Open House Europe.

Through these ten years, the festival has not only invited the public into the city’s buildings and sites, but has also built bridges between the city, architecture, history, the present, and the future. It has shown that architecture can be both educational, engaging, and inclusive, and that a festival can become a platform where people gain an understanding of the city's development and the opportunity to participate in the dialogue themselves.

Ten years – what awaits in the future?

After a decade of open doors, Open House Stockholm stands on solid ground. But the future is not about growing fast; it is about growing at a sustainable pace. The festival wants to continue developing in a sustainable way, both for the organization, its partners, and everyone involved.

Inclusion and accessibility will continue to be central themes. The festival wants to give more people the opportunity to participate, allow more perspectives to be heard, and give more voices a place in the conversation about the city.

With the help of visual storytelling and artistic expression, new avenues are opened up for understanding and experiencing architecture. This creates room for more interpretations, more stories, and a richer dialogue about the city's spaces and cultural heritage

The experiences of recent years also show that digital and physical meetings can complement each other. The hybrid format allows the festival to reach more people, while the physical experience – standing in a room, feeling the atmosphere, and meeting people – will always remain the core.

With the 2025 theme 'Future Heritage,' we look ahead. What are we leaving behind for future generations? How can we cherish what we already have while simultaneously building anew? These questions are increasingly urgent in a Europe where cities face climate challenges, population growth, and social changes.

Through the cooperation within Open House Europe, we can continue to build bonds of friendship, share knowledge, and gain inspiration across borders. Nurturing the contacts already established between volunteers, ambassadors, property owners, architects, researchers, and visitors is crucial for the festival to remain a vibrant platform for dialogue and learning.

The future of Open House Stockholm is therefore about strengthening what makes the festival unique: the openness, the meetings, and the feeling that the city belongs to us all, while we continue to grow sustainably, nurture relationships, and develop collaborations both within the city and across national borders.

Open House Stockholm

Open House Stockholm is more than an architecture festival; it is a democratic platform for the city's inhabitants to understand, discuss, and appreciate the built environment. In 10 years, the festival has evolved from an initiative by four associations into a cultural institution with strong public engagement, thematic integrity, and international collaboration.