The winged lion is a historic symbol of Venice. Cast in bronze, it crowns a column in St. Mark's Square, gold - since 1978 it has been given to the winners of the most important prizes at the Venice Biennale. This year it was won by the creators of the exhibition in the Bahrain Pavilion arranged in the Arsenale space. What distinguishes the "Heatwave" project?
A&B partners at the Biennale
Andrea Faraguna, curator and designer, Wafa Alghatam, researcher, and engineering duo Mario Monotti and Alexander Puzrin, authors of the exhibition in the national pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain, were this year's winners of the Golden Lion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale. This is the second award for the Bahrain pavilion - the first was won by the curators during their debut participation in the Biennale in 2010.
Bahrain Pavilion - Golden Lion 2025
photo: Andrea Avezzù | illustrations courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
The "Heatwave" exhibition directly confronts the heat wave affecting our cities, extreme temperatures, and seeks answers to the prevailing social injustices - not everyone and everywhere can take shelter from the dangerous heat. This cooling system, designed for outdoor spaces, is intended to serve, among other things, those working outdoors, such as on construction sites, which is emphasized by the massive seats - sandbags arranged around a central column.
Bahrain Pavilion - Golden Lion 2025
photo: Andrea Avezzù | illustrations courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
The pavilion offers a viable proposition for extreme heat. As the designers explain, "architecture must meet the dual challenges of environmental resilience and sustainability." The ingenious solution can be used in public spaces and places where people have to live and work outside in extreme heat conditions
- justified the jury's choice.
How does "Heatwave" work? It is a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional techniques: in the center of the pavilion is placed a column, from the top of which - which is not visible during the tour - six chains are stretched to support a suspended ceiling of openwork grids. It is above this architectural umbrella that the system providing cooling is hidden. Quite simple in principle, the idea is based on passive cooling using thermodynamics: air-cooling geothermal wells andsolar chimneys supporting natural air exchange . This creates a pleasant, if not simply bearable, microclimate between the floor and ceiling of the installation. According to the calculations of the developers of the prototype in the desert climate of Bahrain, it allows to achieve a constant supply of 30 degrees Celsius under the canopy .
Bahrain Pavilion - Golden Lion 2025
Photo: Andrea Avezzù | illustrations courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
However, digging a geothermal well was not possible in a pavilion on the grounds of the post-industrial Venetian Arsenal. Mechanical ventilation was used to create this full-scale prototp. The modular design can be adapted to a variety of urban environments, and replicated on a larger scale if necessary.
Andrea Faraguna, curator of the exhibition, talks about the project for ArchDaily:
© ArchDaily
For more information on the exhibitions at this year's Venice International Architecture Biennale, check back with A&B in September!
***
A&B's Main Partner for the Biennale:
A&B's partners at the Biennale:
