Significant buildings in four main city centres will be open for special public viewing to celebrate the Year of the Built Environment 2005, Environment and Urban Affairs Minister Marian Hobbs announced today.

'Open House' events will be held on successive Sundays in Dunedin, Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in June and July. People will be able to visit a variety of buildings and sites from water works and theatres to temples and parks, many of which are not regularly open to the public.

"As New Zealanders, we have always delighted in the beauty of our natural environment,” Marian Hobbs said. "As it is the Year of the Built Environment 2005, we want to broaden that focus to include the stunning architecture and urban design that grace our cities and towns.

"Open House is a perfect opportunity to give people a new perspective on the buildings, spaces and structures in which we work, live and play. It will give us a fun look into buildings and spaces we've passed a hundred times, wondering what goes on inside."

The Open House events will be free and expert guides will be on hand to tell the story of each site, chosen because of an outstanding feature or contribution to its local environment. Open House events will be held on the following days:

Dunedin – June 12
Auckland – June 19
Wellington – June 26
Christchurch – July 3

Open House is part of the Year of the Built Environment 2005 events being organised by the Ministry for the Environment with support from the New Zealand Institute of Architects and a consortium of local government, industry, research organisations and professional institutes.

For more information on the Open House events and Year of the Built Environment 2005, visit:
www.mfe.govt.nz/issues/urban/ybe/open-house/index.html