National Pavilions have been encouraged by curator Carlo Ratti to respond to the motto One Place, One Solution and to maintain a goal of a circular economy. How are different countries responding?
We commit to creating pavilions and spaces that are not just temporary showcases but bold examples of circular design that offer a lasting sustainability legacy. Our goal is to eliminate waste, circulate materials and regenerate natural systems proving that architecture and our built environment can coexist harmoniously with our planet.
Carlo Ratti, A Circular Economy Manifesto
Curated by Plano Coletivo, (Re)Invention. Architecture as a Cultural Artifact explores the role of architecture as a cultural expression, focusing on Brazilian architecture as a witness to the country’s history and social transformation. The exhibition will be structured in two acts. The first highlights how ancestral Amazonian societies managed the environment in a balanced way. The second shifts to contemporary Brazil, showcasing how infrastructure can be reinterpreted through inherited and adapted design strategies.
IG @plano.coletivo
As the world undergoes a major agrarian transition and climate change intensifies, food security is increasingly at risk. While global solutions often rely on centralized technological innovation, curator Azza Aboualam proposes a community-driven approach. Examining the relationship between architecture and food production, Pressure Cooker highlights often-overlooked agricultural infrastructures in the Emirates, through explorations of solutions developed under conditions of food scarcity.
www.nationalpavilionuae.org | IG @nationalpavilionuae
With STRESSTEST: Adapting to Extreme Heat, curators Elisabeth Endres and Gabriele Kiefer (Technische Universität Braunschweig), Daniele Santucci (Climateflux and RWTH Aachen University), and Nicola Borgmann (Architekturgalerie München) aim to turn the visit to the German Pavilion into a sensory and intellectual experience highlighting the effects of extreme heat. The exhibition addresses the challenges posed by climate overheating in cities and natural environments, showcasing innovative design strategies for urban adaptation.
IG @germanpavilion_venice
Using lava as a building material? According to architects Arnhildur Pálmadóttir and Arnar Skarphéðinsson, it is possible. For its first participation in the Architecture Biennale, Iceland has chosen to explore the country’s unique geological conditions, which are subject to frequent volcanic activity and the formation of vast lava fields. Lavaforming envisions harnessing these destructive events as a renewable resource for the construction industry, eliminating harmful extraction practices and directly utilizing the power of nature.
IG @sap_arkitektar
Grounded explores soil as a carrier of ecological and cultural memory, an ecosystem, a form of natural intelligence, and a living archive. Through sensory experiences, scientific documentation, architecture, and artworks, curators Ceren Erdem and Bilge Kalfa highlight the significance of this element, which holds essential information about past civilizations, ecological systems, and the potential for living in harmony with nature, aiming to envision future perspectives that respect life both above and below the ground.
www.iksv.org
A Matter of Radiance focuses on the Sun Institute of Material Science, a large-scale Soviet-era solar furnace near Tashkent, presenting the institute’s ambivalent nature – both futuristic and obsolete – while reimagining its potential for contemporary science and culture. The project includes contributions from Uzbek and international artists, writers, and scientists, blending architecture, literature, and performance.
www.acdf.uz | IG @uzbekistan_national_pavilion
Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland
Natural, artificial, collective: Carlo Ratti presents his Architecture Biennale
