This year’s Venice Biennale fosters the art of sharing knowledge
Opening to the public tomorrow, the Venice Biennale’s 19th International Architecture Exhibition is the world’s most significant showcase dedicated to the discipline. Monocle had an early look at how its 750 participants – presenting their work in pavilions in the Biennale Gardens and inside the grand halls of the Arsenale building – are engaging with curator Carlo Ratti’s brief. The Italian architect and engineer’s ambition is to present architecture that embraces a combination of artificial, natural and human intelligence. “It’s about hybridising different types of knowledge,” he tells The Monocle Minute.
Bettering conversations about architecture emerged as a golden thread running through many of the works. There are straightforward examples: the interior of the Australia Pavilion features a curving earth-and-plaster wall, a physical form that encourages dialogue. “It’s about coming together and telling stories about who you are and what’s important to you,” says Michael Mossman, one of the Australian exhibition’s curators. “And then it’s about listening deeply and carefully to what the people around you are saying.”
There have also been more abstract takes. Switzerland created a conversation between two architectural styles by tactfully (and tastefully) inserting a radial structure into its boxy national pavilion; Japan, meanwhile, examined the history of its own pavilion as it prepares for a grand renovation of the building, which dates to 1956. A strong theme of listening to local cultures has also been on display: a joint UK-Kenyan effort focuses on traditional architectural forms from former British colonies, while Qatar has built a structure that delves into how hospitality and inclusivity shape architectural spaces across the Middle East and South Asia.
These diverse responses highlight a move towards an architecture that is more attuned to human and community needs through dialogue at all scales – be they at an interpersonal or a societal level. While architects must remain discerning when it comes to collaborative processes (as the adage goes, “A camel is a horse designed by committee”), this biennale serves as a reminder that their discipline thrives not in isolation but by tapping into the collective intelligence of those it serves. Conversation is the first and most fundamental building block in any design project.
Monisse is Monocle’s design editor. For more opinion, analysis and insight, subscribe to Monocle today.
