This year’s Open Houses Weekend, part of the Budapest100 festival, will feature a record number of nearly 80 residential and community gardens opening to the public on 24–25 May, according to the Contemporary Architecture Centre (KÉK), the event’s organizer.
A total of 42 residential buildings, 19 institutions, and 16 garden caretakers are joining the 2025 programme. The full list of participating locations is now available on budapest100.hu.
The festival’s focus this year is on green urban spaces—including private gardens, communal courtyards, and city parks—highlighting their importance in urban life. Unlike previous editions, the 2025 programme does not centre around a specific architectural era, making room for a wide variety of building types and green environments to participate.
Visitors will be able to explore everything from downtown historic homes and university dorms to cultural centres, hospice buildings, housing estates, and vibrant community gardens. This thematic diversity reflects the festival’s aim to underscore the role green oases play in city life and how citizens can contribute to their upkeep.
Organizers emphasized that urban greenery not only enhances biodiversity and reduces the heat island effect but also improves air quality and overall well-being for residents. Even the smallest green spaces between buildings have a cumulative impact on a city’s health and sustainability.
The four-day free festival begins on 22 May with a professional conference exploring the intersection of nature and urban life through the lenses of culture, philosophy, ecology, and urbanism. On 23 May, the Budapest Tree Festival will offer over two dozen themed walking tours celebrating the city’s trees, leading into the Open Houses Weekend on 24–25 May.
The full schedule will be published on 8 May, when registration opens for guided walks and select programmes. Most of the events will be open without prior registration.
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