“Architects have a unique opportunity to put forward ambitious and creative ideas that help us imagine a more equitable and optimistic future in common,” shares this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale curator Lesley Lokko. The 18th edition sees 64 national pavilions from across the world investigate the future of residential buildings, public spaces and city planning, drawing on topics of overpopulation, biodiversity loss, sustainability and technology. On 20 May, the jury announced Brazil’s Terra [Earth] as the winner of the Golden Lion, with Great Britain receiving a special mention. Here, we select five must-see pavilions.
The Quinta Normal Park in Santiago was established in the 19th century, as people came together to nurture trees and plants. Moving Ecologies is inspired by the history of this public green space. Curators Gonzalo Carrasco and Beals Lyon Arquitectos combine architecture, botany and science to create an inventory of seeds for the future, imagining how species from across the world can be used to repair environmental damage and provide practical solutions for communities that are yet to come.
People’s Republic of China | Renewal: A Symbiotic Narrative
China has the largest population in the world, with around 1.4118 billion inhabitants. In 2017, the country implemented caps in megacities such as Beijing and Shanghai to reduce “big city disease.” Issues of overcrowding and standard of living are central to Renewal: A Symbiotic Narrative, as experiments with VR and renewables offer new possibilities in high density environments. Viewers are encouraged to engage with this tactical installation through acts of “viewing, unfolding, contemplating and strolling.”
Great Britain | Dancing Before The Moon
Over 800,000 tickets were sold for the 2022 Venice Art Biennale, with visitors flying into the region from across the world. Dancing Before The Moon reflects on the lasting impact of this footfall, repurposing hundreds of tons of rubbish from the event to create intriguing sculptures, which are complimented by film and soundscape. The display responds directly to the social responsibility of buildings, reimagining long held customs, rituals and traditions to promote care, maintenance and repair.
Philippines | Tripa de Gallina: Guts of Estuary
Estuaries mark the point where freshwater meets saltwater. In Manila, the region’s longest estuary Tripa de Gallina is in limbo, as putrid muck and pollution halts the waterway. The exhibition outlines the entangled movements of nature and humanity, illuminating the impact of daily activities. Here, the water’s condition reflects the wider community’s prognosis of the future. A hexagon bamboo structure imagines a future assemblage, raising questions about methods of regeneration and recovery.
The Lonja wetlands is the largest protected landscape in Croatia, and one of the biggest in Europe. Habitats range from oak forests to arable fields and swamps, which are punctured with large-scale observatories made from local, sustainable materials. The designers behind these biomorphic forms, Mia Roth and Tonči Čerina, curate Same As It Ever Was. The pavilion highlighting how functional buildings can evolve overtime to reflect the centuries of symbiosis between the landscape, animals and people.
Venice Architecture Biennale | Until 26 November
Words: Saffron Ward
Image Credits:
1. Pavilion of the People’s Republic of China, Renewal: a symbiotic narrative. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura – La Biennale di Venezia, The laboratory of the Future 18th International Architecture Exhibition. Photo: Marco Zorzanello. Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia.
2. Pavilion of Chile, Moving Ecologies. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura – La Biennale di Venezia, The laboratory of the Future 18th International Architecture Exhibition. Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia.
3. Pavilion of the People’s Republic of China, Renewal: a symbiotic narrative. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura – La Biennale di Venezia, The laboratory of the Future 18th International Architecture Exhibition. Photo: Marco Zorzanello. Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia.
4. Pavilion of Great Britain, Dancing before the moon. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura – La Biennale di Venezia, The laboratory of the Future 18th International Architecture Exhibition. Photo: Marco Zorzanello. Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia.
5. Pavilion of Philippines, Tripa de Gallina: Guts of Estuary, This is our Gathering. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura – La Biennale di Venezia, The laboratory of the Future 18th International Architecture Exhibition. Photo: Matteo de Mayda. Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia.
6. Pavilion of Croatia, Same As It Ever Was. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura – La Biennale di Venezia, The laboratory of the Future 18th International Architecture Exhibition. Photo: Matteo de Mayda. Courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia.
