For some it gives hope, for others it raises anxiety. The main exhibition at the Venice Arsenale during the 19th International Architecture Biennale, while convincing of the possibility of cooperation between man and artificial intelligence, nature and technology, evokes mixed feelings.
A&B partners at the Biennale
According to this year's Biennale's curator, Carlo Ratti, the exhibition seeks a way forward, to show that solutions to today's pressing problems can take many forms. Thus, numerous projects and experiments were presented, which, as the curator stressed, explored the definition of the title intelligence ("Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Common") as the ability to adapt despite limited resources, knowledge or power.
solutions laboratory
The main exhibition, essentially a giant laboratory, in keeping with the motto of this year's Biennale, is divided into three sections: Natural, Artificial, and Collective, combining proposals from representatives of various backgrounds. The works, for the first time in the history of the Biennale, have been brought together in an open process - Space for Ideas - to show different perspectives. It is possible that this solution made the exhibition seem overloaded with information and proposals that, at first glance, have little to do with each other (familiarization with the projects is facilitated by AI's abbreviated description of each work!). On the other hand, however, it also allowed voices that are less heard on a daily basis to resound.
the high price of convenience
A wave of warmth floods us from the moment we cross the threshold of the Arsenal. For it opens with the installation "Terms and Conditions" (proj.: Transsolar, Bilge Kobas, Daniel A. Barber, Sonia Seneviratne), which literally shows us what price the environment pays for our thermal comfort when we use air conditioners.
Terms and Conditions (proj.: Transsolar, Bilge Kobas, Daniel A. Barber, Sonia Seneviratne)
photo: Marco Zorzanello | illustrations courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
wood from the printer, bricks from waste
A sizable part of the exhibition dealt with new materials - among them, for example, appeared.... 3D printed wood. Architects from the Orproject studio, together with the University of Cincinnati , created the "Inosculae" project, which highlights the possibilities of sustainable, biodegradable and regenerative design. The combination of wood composites and robotic 3D printing creates a structure that decomposes naturally.
© Orproject Architects
A similar solution was proposed by a team consisting of Juliana Mariz de Oliveira Simantob, Claudia Gowgiel and Pinelopi Filothei Karali. The authors of the project "FRICKS: Upcycled Foamed Bricks" created recycled foam bricks.
FRICKS: Upcycled Foamed Bricks (proj.: Juliana Mariz de Oliveira Simantob, Claudia Gowgiel, Pinelopi Filothei Karali)
photo: Marco Zorzanello | illustrations courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
FRICKS is an innovative material that transforms construction waste into lightweight, high-performance bricks that triple in volume, adapt to any shape and require no additional energy in the production process - increasing material efficiency and sustainable design
- explain the authors.
small gesture, big change
A very concrete solution was also proposed by the Roofscapes Studio team. The authors of "Climate Realignment: Tactical Adaptations to Urban Heat," a set of tactical solutions for adapting cities to climate change, showed on two mock-ups (before and after) how relatively simple gestures can significantly reduce the temperature in a city.
Climate Realignment: Tactical Adaptations to Urban Heat (proj.: Roofscapes Studio, Tim Cousin, Olivier Faber, Eytan Levi)
photo: Marco Zorzanello | illustrations courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
architecture and trees
Germany's OLA Office for Living Architecture, in conjunction with Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture and the Technical University of Munich, in turn presented a project titled " Architecture as Trees, Trees as Architecture, " showing what can happen if we start creating architecture by combining animate and inanimate elements into a single biological-technical structure.
Architecture as Trees, Trees as Architecture (proj.: OLA Office for Living Architecture, Green Technologies in Landscape Architecture, Technical University of Munich)
Photo: Marco Zorzanello | illustrations courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
Blurring the line between plants and buildings, the project explores Baubotanik, where technical connectors grow into living trees. The project envisions a dynamic, seasonal architecture that self-repairs, coexists and transforms with its surroundings
- AI concludes.
A house for the price of a car?
Philippe Starck, on the other hand, measuring himself against the problem of insufficient housing, proposes creating houses for the price of cars - "A House for the Price of a Car." The French architect is looking for a way to industrialize this branch of construction, it would work similarly to car manufacturing, which would guarantee fairness of costs, fast and timely production and quality solutions. Is this really what the future of architecture will look like?
A House for the Price of a Car (design: Philippe Starck)
Photo: Luca Capuano | illustrations courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
Anna Cymer, Kacper Kępinski and Jarosław Trybuś shared their thoughts on the main exhibition: Hope for a better tomorrow, or a slight cringe? The main exhibition at the Arsenal through the eyes of experts
This is just a fraction of the projects shown at the main exhibition (760 participants took part!). More information about the exhibitions at this year's Venice International Architecture Biennale will be in the pages of A&B in September!
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