The pavilion offers a viable solution for conditions of extreme heat, as noted by the judges who emphasized the importance of architecture addressing the challenges of environmental resistance and sustainability.
The Golden Lion for the best pavilion, awarded at the biennial that began today, recognizes what the jury describes as an “ingenious solution” applicable to public spaces and outdoor areas where people live and work in extreme heat. The pavilion utilizes traditional cooling methods.
A special mention was awarded to the Vatican for its national participation with the pavilion “Opera Aperta,” which functions as a space for exchange, negotiation, and restoration. The project aims to revitalize a deconsecrated church into a cultural exchange venue.
The British participation also received a special mention, attributed to a collaboration with Kenya, reflecting an architectural dialogue that seeks to redefine architecture as an extractor of inequality and environmental degradation, and to envision a new relationship between architecture and geology.
The jury, consisting of Hans Ulrich Obrist (President, Switzerland); Paola Antonelli (Italy); and Mpho Matsipa (South Africa), awarded the Golden Lion for best participation to the collective Diller Scofidio + Renfro. Founded in 1981, this design studio works in urban design, installation art, multimedia performance, digital media, and publishing, involving over 100 professionals within its ranks.
Their presentation at the biennale includes the “Canal Café” installation, inviting visitors to enjoy coffee made using purified water from the Venetian lagoon.
The Silver Lion was awarded to the project “Calculating Empires” by Kate Crawford, an American academic specializing in artificial intelligence, and Vladan Joler, a Serbian academic and researcher. This critically acclaimed project explores the evolution of technology and power over centuries, blending research with design, and science with art.
In this category, two special mentions were given: one to Nigerian architect Tosin Oshinowo for her project “The Self-Organized Markets of Lagos,” demonstrating alternative urbanism, and another to the “Elephant Chapel” project, which exemplifies how to construct a durable brick structure using biological materials.
The architectural firm Boonsem Premthada from Bangkok uses elephant dung in their construction to reduce material usage, as explained by the jury.
American philosopher Donna Haraway and Italian architect and designer Italo Rota (October 2, 1953 – April 6, 2024) were honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement and the Special Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Memoriam, respectively.
The 19th International Architecture Exhibition, curated by architect and engineer Carlo Ratti, runs until November 23.
