More than 70 spaces in Taipei that are off limits to the public are to be open to visitors next month during the two-day Open House Taipei, part of an annual global festival that celebrates the aesthetics and vitality of architectural spaces.
Open House Taipei, which is being held for the first time on Nov. 28 and 29, is to feature 73 previously inaccessible private spaces, such as private and government offices, the backstages of theaters, and the control center that runs Taipei’s MRT.
The vast majority of the spaces are in Taipei, with a few in neighboring New Taipei City.
Most of the tours are free, but there are some, such as workshops or tours led by performing artists, that will charge admission.
One of the featured spaces is the National Theater and Concert Hall, which is to host 28 one-hour tours over the two-day period to give visitors an inside understanding of the facility’s operations and inner workings, such as how its special air-conditioning system works.
Visitors can register online for the tours through the “Open House Taipei” Web site from noon yesterday or line up for a tour during the festival.
Another highlight is the Taipei Metro Operations Control Center, which is to give visitors an inside look at how the metro system works and gets passengers to their destinations.
Visitors wishing to take part in the free tour need to pre-register, as the Taipei Metro will not accept walk-ins during the festival.
Open House Taipei is patterned after the event that started the concept, Open House London, in which buildings considered to be of architectural importance are opened for free tours to foster a better understanding of architecture.
The idea is to have people directly experience the buildings or architectural spaces, and give them the chance to learn from or discuss ideas with experts and others, according to Open House Worldwide, the network that links 46 organizations hosting festivals and dialogues about architecture, design and cities across the globe.
The concept has since spread around the world to about 40 cities, including New York, Melbourne, Milan, Vienna and Jerusalem.
Open House Taipei chief executive officer Victor Wu (吳卓昊) said he wanted to bring the festival to Taipei because he had a close personal connection with the festival while working as an intern in London, and he wanted to showcase Taipei to the world through the event.
Wu and his team are also to promote Taipei by having it take part in the 48-hour livestream of the Open House Worldwide festival that is to tackle important issues facing built environments across the world, such as climate change, community planning and public housing.
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