Boston, MA Celebrate the area’s rich architecture with Common Boston 2016, Boston’s first ever open-house design festival. 2016 Common Boston–One Weekend. Your City Unlocked. (June 4–5) Common Boston 2016 (#CB16), the first ever open-house architecture festival in Boston, kicks off on June 4 and 5. For that one weekend only, the completely free festival will unlock the doors to dozens of architecturally, culturally, and historically significant sites, encouraging residents and tourists to consider why design matters, while tapping into unique stories that illuminate the region’s vibrant communities. From historic sites to office towers to community gardens, participants will get unparalleled access to more than 50 unique sites that contribute to making Boston such an exceptional place to live, work, and play.

This year’s festival partners represent a diverse variety of spaces and places throughout Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, and Brookline, including: Ayer Mansion, Boston Architectural College, Boston Public Library (central branch, HonanAllston branch, East Boston branch, Parker Hill branch, Hyde Park branch, Mattapan branch), BSA Space, Cambridge City Hall, Christ Church Cambridge, Church of the Covenant, District Hall, Dorchester Heights Monument, Eliot Hall and the Footlight Club, Eliot School of Fine Arts, Emerald Necklace Conservancy and Shattuck Visitor Center, Ether Dome and the Bulfinch Building at Mass.General Hospital, Fenway Studios, Fenway Victory Gardens, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site, GrandTen Distilling, Hibernian Hall, The Innovation and Design Building, The KITCHEN at Boston Public Market, Loring-Greenough House, Lunder Art Center at Lesley University, Mass. College of Art and Design (Design and Media Center, Treehouse Residence Hall), Midway Artist Studios, MIT List Visual Arts Center, Nichols House Museum, Old North Church, Otis House of Historic New England, Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation, Restoration Resources, Strand Theatre, South St. Farm by Groundwork Somerville, Trinity Church Urbano project, The Vilna Shul, Metropolitan Waterworks Museum, Dorchester Historical Society (William Clapp House, Capt. Lemuel Clapp House, James Blake House), Y2Y Harvard Sq., and YMCA of Greater Boston.

“Common Boston is a fantastic opportunity to discover the amazingly rich architectural, cultural, and historic resources of neighborhoods throughout Greater Boston,” says Mike Davis FAIA, Chair of the BSA Foundation.

All #CB16 open house programming is free and open to the public.

The festival weekend will launch with the dParty, a fun and lively get together that celebrates all things design, on Friday, June 3 at The Innovation and Design Building (IDB) in the Seaport. For the #CB16 dParty, Common Boston will transform the IDB’s seventh floor space into a fully realized block party, complete with a variety of streetscape amenities. Tickets: $10 in advance. To reserve your place, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/common-boston-dpartyblock-party-2016-tickets-25198160376

For more information on #CB16, including open house times, visit commonboston.org