Open House Melbourne Access Map: Testing accessibility with lived experience
Open House Melbourne Access Map: Testing accessibility with lived experience
How a site visit turned into a partnership
In 2025, Dominique Loulie and Natalie Collins attended an Open House Melbourne event at Today Design’s studio, after connecting with Mark Davis, National Director of Partnerships. The event was part of the Open House program, which opens buildings and spaces across Melbourne to the public.
The visit sparked interest across the team. Some attended additional Open House events, including tours of the Metro Tunnel.
What stood out wasn’t just the architecture, but the access information.
The Open House Melbourne access map provided detailed accessibility insights about each location – information that isn’t always easy to find in public platforms.
From interest to collaboration
Following the event, Ability Works was contacted by Architecture and Access, who saw an opportunity to connect with Maptivate (Circ Consulting), the organisation responsible for developing the Open House Melbourne Access Map.
That connection created a new partnership.
Instead of simply observing the platform, Ability Works became part of improving it.
Testing with lived experience
In May – June 2026, Ability Works worked with Open House Melbourne and Maptivate to test the accessibility and usability of the Access Map.
Seven participants took part in the testing.
With a mix of gender and familiarity with the Open House Weekend, each brought lived experience of different access needs, including:
- physical and mobility-related access
- neurodiversity
- low vision
Participants used the platform as they normally would – exploring locations, reading access information, and navigating the site.
What the testing showed
The testing identified where the platform worked well – and where improvements could be made.
Some barriers were small.
Others made it harder to understand what to expect from a location.
A report was provided to Open House Melbourne and Maptivate, with clear, practical recommendations to improve usability and accessibility.
Why this work matters
Access information is often treated as an add-on.
But for many people, it determines whether they can attend an event at all.
Work like this shows how accessible design improves real experiences. It makes it easier for people to understand a space before they arrive and decide whether it is something they can access confidently.
Explore Open House Melbourne 2026
The Program for Open House Weekend 2026 is now live!
Explore the Access Map for locations with accessibility specific information.