Download the complete 2008 NIAGARA BY DESIGN / BINATIONAL DOORS OPEN NIAGARA event guide here!

Binational Doors Open/Niagara By Design 2008

Program Description & Background

Binational Doors Open Niagara was launched in October 2002 as a free-entry, heritage and architecturally themed weekend event to showcase and celebrate the built heritage of this binational region. It began with 73 partnering sites in Erie and Niagara Counties in Western New York and Niagara Region in Southern Ontario hosting more than 12,000 visitors.  By 2007, more than 150 different sites had participated in the event, and recorded visitors exceeded 110,000.

The event has raised the profile of the heritage and architectural tourism products in this binational region, and attracts visitors from the Greater Toronto Area, Quebec, other Canadian provinces, New York State, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Texas, as well as parts of Europe and Asia. 

Binational Doors Open Niagara is still the only binational program of this nature in North America, and  was the first of four Doors Open programs that take place annually in the U.S. (Open House New York, and Doors Open in Denver and Lowell, Mass).  The success of this program has resulted in interest by the NEA to roll the program out across the U.S.

In 2007, new programming components were added to expand the initiative to a multi-week, multi-event season of heritage, architecture and design from October 1 to November 30, in order to attract more visitors to the region in the fall shoulder season for a longer period of time, as well as to encourage visitors who are here at other times of the year to return for the many events that take place year-round at our partnering sites.

The new components include: Architectural Speaker and Movie Series, an Architectural Symposium, enhanced photography contests for adults and youth and traveling exhibits of the winning photography.  Introduced in fall 2007, these components successfully attracted new audiences as well as new sponsors for the initiative.

The changes that have been made are especially significant as binational community partners begin the serious planning for the Bicentennial Celebrations of the War of 1812. Binational Doors Open Niagara is considered to be the successful model and program to build upon for these celebrations.

Niagara By Design 2008: October 1 to 30, 2008

Promotional Roll-out – August 2008, local and key tourism markets

BTA responsible for website, event guide, multi-media promotion, travel & architecture magazines, internet, posters and rack cards, site orientation and materials order and distribution.

Art of Architecture and architage Photography Contests Kick-off – September 1, 2008

Doors Open 2008 sites; professional, amateur and youth categories with prizes for each.

UB Lecture Series – Wednesdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

UB to pull together slate of speakers for this annual fall series which will be co-promoted as Niagara By Design programming.

Architecture Week – October 12 to 19 (up to & including Doors Open Weekend)

            Media Event – NSA, WNY AIA, BTA and UB to jointly host this event.

Speaker Series – October 13 to 24  (Thursday, October 16, Saturday, October 18, Thursday,

            October 23 and Saturday, October 25 – four speakers) 

Speaker List – Bruce Mau, Edward Burtynsky, Jack Diamond, William McDonough (want two of these) and Lyn Osmond, Nelda Rogers

Locations – Albright Knox, Kleinhan’s, Hauptman Woodward, Jackson Triggs, Southbrook Winery, Power Vista, Adam Beck Plant, Toronto Power Station will all be investigated for cost and availability.

UB and BTA working on speaker confirmations/costs and available dates.

Movie Series – October 13 to 24 (Tuesday, October 14, Friday, October 17, Tuesday, October 21, Friday, October 24 – four movies)

Movie List – The Belly of an Architect, The Draftmans Contract, Sketches of Frank Gehry, My Architect

Locations – Riviera Theatre, Town Cinema, NAC, NACC

BTA to confirm locations and movies at each, as well as obtain copies of movies to be shown and refreshments for each venue.  Ask NSA or WNY AIA to make opening comments and lead discussion after each.

Travel Media Fam Tour – October 16 to 19

            BTA working directly with Tourism Niagara, Buffalo CVB and NTCC on this component.

Doors Open Weekend – October 18 & 19

BTA working with Doors Open Community Leaders and student volunteers to deliver 2008 program.

New components for 2008 – accommodation packages with BTA member properties and bus tours of specific community sites.

Architectual, Building, Design Industry Symposia – October 23

Showcase a new building and the architects, owners involved in the concept.  Prefer to do this on-site to allow for tours and Q & A with the industry team presenting. 

Doors Open Symposia - October 30

Invitation to all Canadian and U.S. Doors Open communities to participate in a one day forum at Parkway Inn, St. Catharines to discuss best practices and learnings since the inception of the Doors Open initiative in North America. Co-hosted by the Ontario Heritage Foundation.

Fundraising has already begun for the 2008 program and the following monies have already been received:  Binational Tourism Alliance $20,000, Trillium Foundation $7,500, Niagara’s Finest Inns $5,000,  and Committed Sites $5,500. Canadian and U.S. proposals to government departments and foundations are in process.