11th edition of Open House Porto

Open House Porto 2026: A meditation on time and transformation in Architecture

Dedicated to the theme of Pentimenti, the 11th edition of Open House Porto invites visitors to discover the many lives, profiles and purposes of a variety of buildings in Maia, Matosinhos, Porto and, for the first time as a guest city, Gondomar.

Curated by the architect and visual artist Maria Souto de Moura and the architect and photographer Francisco Ascensão, this year’s theme draws inspiration from the phenomenon of “the overlapping layers of a painting which, over time, become visible, revealing the artist’s hesitations, changes of direction or corrections”, applying this concept to architecture.

The outcome is an itinerary comprising more than fifty buildings of various characteristics, many of which are opening their doors for the first time this year, inviting the public to uncover the stories and transformations hidden behind the different lives these spaces have led.

Open to visitors free of charge over the weekend of 4 and 5 July will be buildings of great heritage value, whose function and use have been altered to ensure their preservation; structures that have undergone surprising transformations and taken on unexpected roles; and open spaces, waiting for the city to recognise, value and transform them.

Accompanied by a range of educational activities aimed at all kinds of audiences and a variety of supporting programmes taking place across the four cities, the 11th edition of Open House Porto will once again celebrate architecture with the extraordinary support of around 400 volunteers, the contribution of about 80 experts and the generosity of many partners.

The architecture festival is back!

Curatorial text

Pentimenti is a term used to describe the overlapping layers in a painting which, over time, become visible, revealing the artist’s hesitations, changes of direction or corrections.

Similarly, in architecture, spaces contain several layers, more or less concealed, which reveal resilience in the face of necessary changes over the course of their existence. Sustainable architecture may be that which stands the test of time and continues to serve new purposes, in defiance of a programme that would otherwise condemn its potential timelessness. Versatility translates into the possibility of permanence.

In the context of Open House 2026, we propose to examine spaces where the superimposition of layers brings paradigm shifts into sharp contrast, questioning the balance or the ongoing negotiation between Time, Space and Programme in Architecture.

RESPONSE At first, we explore examples arising from the need to transform buildings whose heritage value is universally recognised, yet where altering the original programme is unavoidable in order to prevent them from becoming obsolete.

REACTION Secondly, examples are selected that radically subvert the original purposes of the pre-existing construction, as a reaction to the current difficulty of accessing qualified built heritage, or simply as an exercise that seeks opportunities where none seemed to exist.

QUESTION Finally, a look at places in a state of expectancy is proposed, seeking, on the one hand, to launch a debate about the future of the city and, on the other, to appeal to the importance of the mapping exercise as a tool for the enhancement, preservation and transformation of the landscape, history and collective memory of cities.

Francisco Ascensão e Maria Souto de Moura, OHP’26 Curators

The Curators

Francisco Ascensão (Porto, 1991) is an architect and photographer. In 2015, he graduated from FAUP and was awarded the Viana de Lima Prize in the Architecture category. In 2021, he completed a Master’s degree in Artistic Photography at the Institute of Cultural Production and Image in Porto. In the field of architecture, he worked at the Architecten office of Vylder Vinck Taillieu in Ghent between 2014 and 2016, and with the architect Nuno Brandão Costa in Porto from 2016 to 2023. Since 2014, he has developed his own and shared projects, having collaborated in recent years with José Luís Tavares, Patrícia Morais, Atelier Local and Ana Catarina Costa. As a photographer, since 2018, he has developed personal projects, as well as collaborations with architecture studios and cultural and publishing institutions, occasionally photographing in partnership with Luca Bosco. In 2023, he won the 1st prize in the Open Call Photography and Territory, promoted by the Center for Photography Studies of Tomar, Encontros da Imagem de Braga and Imago Lisboa Photo.

Maria Souto de Moura (Porto, 1990) is an architect and artist. She graduated in Architecture from FAUP in 2014, the year she received the Viana de Lima Prize — Architecture, and completed her Master’s degree in Fine Arts — Painting from FBAUP in 2025, with the work xyz, created for the São Nicolau Wash-house in Porto. Between 2014 and 2023, she worked in Álvaro Siza’s studio, participating in projects such as the Gramaxo Foundation and the Álvaro Siza Wing of the Serralves Museum. She was selected for the Young Creators 2017 exhibition with the pavilion Contemplação Particular, developed in collaboration with the painter António Gonçalves and presented at the Belém Cultural Center in Lisbon. In 2021, she won 1st place in the competition for the Accessible Housing Construction Project in Lordelo do Ouro, Porto, in partnership with Francisco Pina, Luís Caleiro and Francisco Pinto. Currently, she is a guest lecturer in the Project 4 course at FAUP and develops her professional practice at the fr-ia studio, which she co-founded.

How It Works

Over the weekend, the public is invited, completely free of charge, to follow a route suggested by the event’s curators. Each participant will be able to create a personalised itinerary, exploring the architecture and the city from a new perspective.

Types of visits

1. Free Visit - visit the space without forming groups within the stipulated time;

2. Accompanied Visit - a tour of the space with group formation guided by the Open House Porto team of volunteers;

3. Commented Visit - a guided tour of the space, with the formation of groups, led by the architect who designed the project or by a guest expert;

4. Visit in English - visit to the space with groups led by the Open House Porto team of volunteers in English.

Ways to access the visits

1. Access to the vast majority of visits is WITHOUT APPOINTMENT, ON A FIRST-COME, FIRST-SERVED BASIS.

2. For the “Itinerary to Inclusion” visits, included in the Caleidoscópio Programme, participation in the guided tour for blind and partially sighted people will be arranged through ACAPO, whilst places on tours with sign language interpretation will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to deaf people.

Accessibility

All spaces on the itinerary will include, alongside their detailed information, an indication of whether they are fully accessible, partially accessible or not accessible at all to people with reduced mobility. The “partially accessible” indication means that some areas of the space may not be accessible or may present physical barriers to access.

Caleidoscópio Programme

A series of free activities organised by Casa da Arquitectura or in partnership with others, aimed at all kinds of audiences, offering a new perspective on the exploration and use of spaces during Open House Porto.

Plus Programme

A programme of free activities organised by organisations outside Casa da Arquitetura, whose nature and location are in keeping with Open House Porto.

More info

All the information and updates regarding the event (2026 edition), including locations, opening times, and the procedure and format for accessing the visits will be made available here (website www.openhouseporto.com).

The Open House Porto organisers are only responsible for visits to the spaces on the days and at the times specified as part of the event.

Open House Porto is back. Be part of this experience!