back	October 03, 2008 RSS

8 for 2008 - The Best of the Biennale Architecture in Venice

After the Architecture Biennale this year, I came away with the thought - can architecture actually be exhibited? It's a good question and perhaps best answered by looking at the transformations of the national pavilions of 2008. Most pavilions are located in the Giardini, the gardens near the water. They are all unique in character and each year (whether it's the Art or Architecture Biennale) they are reinterpreted by the commissioning countries. It's the physical changes made to the buildings that are the most surprising.  6. The Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion was deservedly won by Poland. The white and austere building was transformed into "Hotel Polonia" with a luxurious interior of red carpets and fairytale beds which could be rented out for the night. As the curators noted, hotels in Venice are so overcrowded why not make the pavilions available too? In contrast to this coziness, the photo-manipulations of Nicolas Grospierre and Kobas Laksa presented a dystopian vision of the "afterlife of buildings". In their images, the new Skidmore, Owings and Merrill skyscraper in Warsaw becomes a vertical cemetery by 2058, and the Foster and Partners Metropolitan Office Building becomes the Metropolitan Prison in 2061! 7.
The Portuguese Pavilion, although not located in the gardens, saw the most radical transformation. Located in a house facing the Grand Canal, a huge mirror was constructed which hid the entire building yet created a new cityscape for those travelling past by boat or gondola. For a moment the building disappears altogether and is replaced by a fleeting reflection!  8. Last but not least, the Australian Pavilion also saw a change of character. As explained by curator Kerstin Thompson in our video, the building is often overlooked due to its location. This year it was "branded" a bright yellow, as were the trees leading up to it. The sundeck, an Aussie icon, was also extended to allow for more socializing. So while it may be challenging to display new architecture or even capture the energy of a new building, creating a physical intervention or transformation provokes the imagination and stirs up the senses. Salute!