Following the theme of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective, Henriquez Partners Architects presents a project at Palazzo Bembo, within the framework of Time Space Existence, that can be described as hybrid. Their narrative of the climate crisis is inspired by the last remaining Hexactinellida “Symplasma” glass sponge – among the longest-living animals on Earth – found off the northwestern coast of the Pacific in Canada. Monumental 3D-printed glass sculptures depicting these sea sponges are reimagined as visionary prototypes for soaring towers in Vancouver. In an ideal dialogue with Canaletto and his paintings of Venice, this group of sculptures and renderings provides the backdrop for a story in which architecture draws from both the form and the symbiotic essence of nature.

Henriquez Partners Architects was founded in 1969 by Richard Henriquez, a prominent figure in Canadian architecture, recipient of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Gold Medal in 2005 and the Order of Canada in 2017. His son, Gregory Henriquez, joined as a partner in 1989. Today, the studio – based in both Toronto and Vancouver – includes an international team of over fifty professionals. Among their most significant projects is the 2004 redevelopment of the Woodward’s Building in Vancouver, designed with the aim of creating truly inclusive and sustainable urban environments.

Feature image: Symplasma – Courtesy Henriquez Partners Architects