A mile in their shoes

A mile in

THE SHOES OF A

festival director

Jennifer Nichols is the founder and producer of Open House Hobart. Cheese twists keep her team going as they develop an expanding program and implement another year of COVID-safe plans, writes Dale Campisi. t’s always busy and always fun,” Jennifer says of producing Tasmania’s largest architecture festival. Jennifer was drawn to architecture because it combined her passions for geography, science and creativity, but says it wasn’t until she began studying it at university – and living in a range of houses – that she truly began to understand the power of architecture.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” she says. “You might feel depressed, but you don’t know why. As a uni student I lived in a house with poor light and heating; moving to a house with good light and solar gain I was able to directly experience how architecture can impact your quality of life.”

Now in its ninth year, Open House attracts tens of thousands of people behind the scenes of Tasmania’s built environment. There’s now a dedicated Launceston festival as well as opens in heritage towns such as Oatlands and Richmond.

The catalyst for establishing Open House – a global celebration of architecture and design – locally was to help Tasmanians understand the benefits of architecture for people and places.

“I “It’s not just about designer homes,” Jennifer explains. “It’s also about heritage, infrastructure and even signage. The TasWater substation in Hobart, for instance, does important work for our city. Seeing inside it you can really appreciate just how complex the systems are that keep our cities going. “Tasmania also has a unique architecture that is all about place. Hobart and Launceston are very different – one anchored by its working [environment] and its majestic mountain, the other by its river and dramatic gorge. They wear their histories in their buildings too – Hobart dominated by Georgian-era sandstone, Launceston by Victorian-era brick.” Producing the festival is a community effort, Jennifer says. “It’s made possible by the hundreds of volunteers who donate their time and the owners too, who take a leap of faith to open their homes and buildings to the public. It’s a beautiful expression of civic pride.” Join Open House Hobart from 13–14 November. Find out more at openhousehobart.org