Sat, July 11th, 2026: Tania Davidge: Executive Director and Chief Curator, Open House Melbourne, Cian Davis: Director, Bates Smart Melbourne

Macca and Kenny are joined live on air by, Tania Davidge: Executive Director and Chief Curator, Open House Melbourne. Cian Davis: Director, Bates Smart Melbourne

Most of us walk past Melbourne’s most interesting buildings without ever seeing what is inside. Open House Melbourne changes that for one weekend, and this year one of the star attractions is Orica House, often described as Australia’s first skyscraper. Tania Davidge and architect Cian Davis join us.

Open House Melbourne Weekend runs 24–26 July 2026. The program opens buildings, infrastructure and design practices to the public through tours, talks and events.

Orica House, completed in 1958 and historically known as ICI House, is widely regarded as Australia’s first skyscraper and a landmark of postwar modernism. Bates Smart staff will lead guided tours on 25 and 26 July.

Useful angle for Cian: what the building introduced technically and culturally; what has survived; and how adaptive reuse can preserve modernist architecture without freezing it in time.

NICA: The Joys of Circus runs on 24 and 25 July and marks 25 years of the National Institute of Circus Arts. It adds a celebratory performing-arts dimension to a weekend often perceived as building-focused.

Tania Davidge and Cian Davis

Open House Melbourne Weekend 2026 — Open House Melbourne, accessed 10 July 2026

2026 Program Broadsheet — Open House Melbourne, 23 June 2026

Meet the team — Tania Davidge — Open House Melbourne, accessed 10 July 2026

Orica House event listing — Open House Melbourne, 2026

NICA: The Joys of Circus — Open House Melbourne, 2026

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