Venice Biennale of Architecture
Venice Biennale of Architecture also known as
Mostra di Architettura di Venezia – in its original language, Italian – is an International exhibition held every other year on even years in Venice, Italy, in which architecture from nations around the world is presented. It is the architecture section under the overall Venice Biennale and was officially established in 1980, even though architecture had been a part of the Venice Art Biennale since 1968.
The main agenda of the Architecture Biennale is to propose and showcase architectural solutions to contemporary societal, humanistic, and technological issues. Although leaning towards the academic side of architecture, the Biennale also provides an opportunity for local architects around the world to present new projects. The Biennale is separated into two main sections: The permanent, national pavilions in the Biennale Gardens as well as the Arsenale, which hosts projects from numerous nations under one roof.
Exhibitions
2021
Curated by Hashim Sarkis, The 17th Venice Architecture Biennale will be entitled How will we live together? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will take place in 2021 instead of 2020.2018
The 16th International Architecture Exhibition was titled and was curated by Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara.Awards:
- Golden Lion for Best National Participation: Switzerland, with Svizzera 240, House Tour. Commissioners: Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia: Marianne Burki, Sandi Paucic, Rachele Giudici Legittimo. Curators & Exhibitors: Alessandro Bosshard, Li Tavor, Matthew van der Ploeg, Ani Vihervaara
- Special Mention for Best National Participation: Great Britain, with Island. Commissioner: Sarah Mann; Architecture Design Fashion British Council. Curators: Caruso St John Architects, Marcus Taylor
- Golden Lion for the best participant: Souto Moura - Arquitectos; Eduardo Souto de Moura.
- Silver Lion for a promising young participant; Architecten de vylder vinck taillieu. Jan de Vylder, Inge Vinck, Jo Taillieu.
- Special Mentions: Andramatin; Andra Matin and RMA Architects; Rahul Mehrotra
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Kenneth Frampton
2016
Awards:
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Paulo Mendes da Rocha.
- Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion: Spain with Unfinished, curated by Iñaqui Carnicero and Carlos Quintáns.
2014
Awards:
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Phyllis Lambert.
- Golden Lion for Best National Participation: Korea, with curated by Minsuk Cho together with Hyungmin Pai and Changmo Ahn.
- Silver Lion for Best Research Project of the Monditalia section: Andrés Jaque and his Office for Political Innovation, with the project "Sales Oddity. Milano 2 and the Politics of Home to Home TV Urbanisms".
- Silver Lion for Best National Participation: Chile, with curated by Pedro Alonso and Hugo Palmarola.
- Special Mentions to National Participations: Canada, France, Russia
- Special Mentions to research projects of the Monditalia section: "Radical Pedagogies: ACTION-REACTION-INTERACTION" by Beatriz Colomina, Britt Eversole, Ignacio G. Galán, Evangelos Kotsioris, Anna-Maria Meister, Federica Vannucchi, Amunátegui Valdés Architects, Smog.tv; "Intermundia" by Ana Dana Beroš; "Italian Limes" by Folder
2012
Awards:
- Golden Lion for lifetime achievement: Alvaro Siza.
- Golden Lion for Best National Participation: Japan, "" curated by Toyo Ito, with the participation of Kumiko Inui, Sou Fujimoto, Akihisa Hirata and Naoya Hatakeyama.
- Golden Lion for Best Project of the Common Ground Exhibition: Urban-Think Tank, Justin McGuirk and Iwan Baan
- Silver Lion for a promising practice of the Common Ground Exhibition: Grafton Architects
- Special Mentions: Poland, commissioner Hanna Wróblewska; United States of America, commissioner Cathy Lang Ho; Russia, commissioner Grigory Revzin; Cino Zucchi.
2010
Awards:
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Rem Koolhaas
- Golden Lion for the Best National Participation: Kingdom of Bahrain
- Golden Lion for the Best Project in the People meet in architecture exhibition: junya.ishigami+associates
- Golden Lion in memoriam: Kazuo Shinohara
- Silver Lion for a promising young participant in the People meet in architecture exhibition: OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen + Bas Princen
- Special Mentions: Amateur Architecture Studio, Studio Mumbai, Piet Oudolf
2008
Awards:
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Frank Gehry
- Golden Lion for Best National Participant: Poland. A project by Nicolas Grospierre and Kobas Laksa
- Golden Lion for the Best Installation Project in the International Exhibition: Greg Lynn Form
- Special Golden Lion for lifetime achievement to a historian of Architecture: James S. Ackerman
- Silver Lion for a Promising Young Architect in the International Exhibition: Chilean Group Elemental
- Germany: Updating Germany - 100 Projects for a Better Future. Curated by Friedrich von Borries and Matthias Böttger
- United States: Into the Open: Positioning Practice: 16 architectural groups focus on the increasing interest in civic engagement in American architectural practice, and examines the means by which a new generation is reclaiming a role in shaping community and the built environment. Curated by William Menking, Aaron Levy, and Andrew Sturm.
2006
Awards:
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Richard Rogers
- Golden Lion for Best National Participation: Denmark for "CO-EVOLUTION, Danish/Chinese collaboration on sustainable urban development in China". Curated by Henrik Valeur and UiD. Projects by Danish architectural offices and Chinese universities CEBRA + Tsinghua, COBE + CQU, Effekt + Tongji and Transform + XAUAT
- Golden Lion for the City: Bogotá, Colombia
- Golden Lion for Best Urban Projects: Javier Sanchez/ Higuera + Sanchez for the housing project "Brazil 44" in Mexico City
- Special prize for Best Architecture School: Facoltà di Architettura Politecnico di Torino for a project for Mumbai
- Mentions for three significant national exhibitions: Japan, Iceland and Macedonia
- Seven Stone Lions, Città di Pietra -Sensi Contemporanei section: Bari, group leader arch. Adolfo Natalini; Crotone, arch. Carlo Moccia; Pantelleria, group leader arch. Gabriella Giuntoli; Bari, group leader arch. Guido Canella; Bari, group leader arch. Antonio Riondino; Bari, group leader arch. Vitangelo Ardito; Pantelleria, group leader arch. Marino Narpozzi
- Prize for Architecture Portus, Città – Porto - Sensi Contemporanei section: “Il parco della Blanda” of Region Basilicata. Area: Maratea, Piana di Castrocucco. Project by: Gustavo Matassa, with Vincenzo De Biase, Silvia Marano, Rosa Nave
- Premio Manfredo Tafuri, appointed by the Padiglione Italia: Vittorio Gregotti
- Giancarlo De Carlo prize, appointed by the Padiglione Italia: Andrea Stipa
- Ernesto Nathan Rogers prize, appointed by the Padiglione Italia: Luca Molinari
- United States Pavilion:
2004
The 9th International Architecture Exhibition: "METAMORPH". Directed by Kurt W. Forster. 12 September – 7 November, 2004. The exhibition attracted over 115,000 visitors.Awards:
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Peter Eisenman
- Golden Lion for best installation presented by a country: Belgium Pavilion
- Golden Lion for most significant work of the Metamorph exhibition: Studio SANAA by Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa for the project for the Museum of 21st century for contemporary art and for the enlargement of the Istituto Valenciano de Arte Moderna
- Special Prize for best work in the Concert Halls section: Studio Plot of Julien De Smedt and Bjarke Ingels for the Concert House project
- Special Prize for best work in the Episodes section: German photographer Armin Linke and Italian architect Piero Zanini for the Alpi installation
- Special Prize for best work in the Transformations section: Austrian architect Günther Domenig for the Documentation Centre at the Party Rally Grounds of Norimberg, Germany
- Special Prize for best work in the Topography section: Studio Foreign Office Architects Ltd for the Novartis Car Park
- Special Prize for best work in the Surface section: Japanese architect Shuhei Endo for the Springtecture project
- Special Prize for best work in the Atmosphere section: Australian studio PTW Architects pty Ltd and Chinese partner studio CSCEC + Design for the National Swimming Center project
- Special Prize for best work in the Hyper-Project section: Martinez Lapeña- Torres Arquitectos for the Esplanada Fòrum
- Special Prize for best work in the Morphing Lights, Floating Shadows sections : images of Mars shot by NASA in cooperation with JPL and Cornell University
- United States Pavilion: Transcending Type. Featuring six U.S. architecture firms in the vanguard of contemporary design. Each explore new forms and uses for iconic modern building types. Commissioner: Architectural Record. Curated by Christian Ditlev Bruun. Projects exhibited: George Yu Architects, Los Angeles: SHOPPING CENTER. *, New York: RESIDENTIAL HIGH RISE *, Chicago: URBAN SPORTS ARENA. *Lewis.Tsurumaki.Lewis, New York: PARKING GARAGE. *, Los Angeles: SPIRITUAL SPACE. *, New York: HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE
2002
Awards:
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Toyo Ito
- Golden Lion for best project of the International Exhibition: Iberê Camargo Foundation di Porto Alegre designed by Alvaro Siza Vieira
- Special prize for best National Participant: Dutch Pavilion
- Special prize for best architectural works patron: Zhang Xin
- Special prize for best governative sponsorship : Barcelona
- Special mention to Next Mexico City: The Lakes Project
- United States Pavilion *World Trade Center. Two Perspectives: The Aftermath & Before. Photographs by Joel Meyerowitz. *A New World Trade Center Design Proposals. The Max Protetch Gallery.
2000
The 7th International Architecture Exhibition: "Less Aesthetics, More Ethics". Directed by Massimiliano Fuksas. 18 June – 29 October, 2000.Awards:
- Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement: Renzo Piano, Paolo Soleri and Jørn Utzon.
- Golden Lion for best interpretation of the exhibition: Jean Nouvel
- Special prize for best National Participant: Spain
- Special "Bruno Zevi" prize for best architecture professor: Joseph Rykwert
- Special prize for best architectural works patron: Thomas Krens
- Special prize for best architecture editor: Eduardo Luis Rodriguez, editor of Arquitectura Cuba
- Special prize for best architecture photographer: Ilya Utkin
- United States Pavilion: ARCHitecture LABoratories with Columbia University and UCLA. Greg Lynn and Hani Rashid, respectively, transformed the U.S. Pavilion into a research laboratory designed to investigate, produce, and present a broad scope of new architectural schemes. A central theme of the studio program was new technology and its application to contemporary housing and other building archetypes. Organized by: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. Commissioner: Max Hollein
1996
Awards:
- Golden Lion for best National Participant: Japan
- Golden Lion for best interpretation of exhibition: Odile Decq-Benoît Cornette, Juha Kaakko, Ilkka Laine, Kimmo Liimatainen, Jari Tirkkonen, Enric Miralles Moya
- Special Osella for an extraordinary initiative in contemporary architecture: Pascal Maragall, Mayor of Barcelona
- Special Osella for media exposure in the field of contemporary architecture: Wim Wenders
- Special Osella for best architecture photographer: Gabriele Basilico
- United States Pavilion: Building a Dream: The Art of Disney Architecture. The Walt Disney Company has inspired and commissioned the work of many of the leading architects of our day for its hotels, productions, facilities, office buildings, sports facilities and housing developments. Organized by: Disney Imagineering, and The Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation, New York. Commissioner: Thomas Krens
1991
Awards:
- Winner of the International contest for the new Palazzo del Cinema 1990: Rafael Moneo
- Winner of the International contest “Una Porta per Venezia” for the restoration of Piazzale Roma: Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones
- United States Pavilion: "Peter Eisenman and Frank Gehry". The similarities and differences between the work of architects Peter Eisenman and Frank Gehry. Organized by: The Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation, New York. Commissioner: Philip Johnson
1986
1985
The 3rd International Architecture Exhibition: "Progetto Venezia". Directed by Aldo Rossi. 20 July – 29 September, 1985.Awards:
- Stone Lion: Robert Venturi, Manuel Pascal Schupp, COPRAT, Franco Purini
- Stone Lion: Raimund Abraham, Raimund Fein, Peter Nigst, Giangiacomo D’Ardia
- Stone Lion: Alberto Ferlenga
- Stone Lion: Daniel Libeskind & Cranbrook Graduate Students, Three Lessons in Architecture
- Stone Lion: Laura Foster Nicholson
- Stone Lion: Maria Grazia Sironi and Peter Eisenman
1981-82
1980
The 1st International Architecture Exhibition: "The presence of the Past". Directed by Paolo Portoghesi. 27 July – 20 October, 1980.Included the Strada Novissima exhibition at the Corderie dell'Arsenale, and exhibitions on Antonio Basile, the architect; The Banal Object. An Exhibition of Critics. An Exhibition of Young Architects. Homage to Gardella, Ridolfi and Johnson.