TERRA-MONDO

NATURA-POLIS

DOMICIDE-MEMORICIDE

When the act of world-making crumbles, the duty of a public institution such as the Biennale is to restore the constant exercise of that magnificent freedom that is critical thinking.

Venice, February 11, 2025 – The 19th International Architecture Exhibition, titled Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective., curated by Carlo Ratti and organized by La Biennale di Venezia, will be open to the public from Saturday, May 10, to Sunday, November 23, 2025, at the Giardini, the Arsenale, and Forte Marghera. The pre-opening will take place on May 8 and 9, while the awards ceremony and inauguration will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025.

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF LA BIENNALE

"Intelli/Gens. Building with intelligence the world, by listening to the intelligence of the world. This is what Carlo Ratti aims to convey through his visionary exhibition, which, even from its title, announces itself as a foundational reflection for the near future—a subject of study and debate for the scientific and artistic community and the public alike."

"The future tense is, in fact, the project and thought of Carlo Ratti. His unique vision goes beyond contemporaneity—which is the time of disuse—to make architecture, humanity’s shelter since time immemorial, a means of inhabiting the world.

In the dialectical arena of various disciplines, filled with algorithms that challenge us like oracles, Ratti deciphers what we are and what we will become—as individuals and as a society—within the digital flux that shapes our tomorrow, the time of all of us Gens endowed with intelligence. And if intelligence is the foundation of an individual’s evolutionary process, in the noblest sense of being civis (a third-declension noun, thus both masculine and feminine), architecture is the space where it can unfold, in constant negotiation with the environment. Through functions, symbols, and relationships, intelligence generates architectures guided by ethical, aesthetic, and ecological principles. It is no coincidence that the Greek word oikos means both 'house' to inhabit and 'environment' to immerse oneself in."

THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION BY THE CURATOR

"Architecture has always been a response to the challenges posed by climatic conditions. From the earliest ‘primitive huts,’ human design has been guided by the need to shelter ourselves for survival: our creations have sought to bridge the gap between hostile environments and the safe, livable spaces we all need." This is how Carlo Ratti introduces his Exhibition.

"Today, this dynamic approach reaches a new level as the climate becomes increasingly unforgiving. In the wildfires of Los Angeles, the floods in Valencia and Sherpur, the drought in Sicily, we have personally witnessed how water and fire are attacking us with unprecedented ferocity. The year 2024 marked a critical moment: the Earth recorded the highest temperatures in history, pushing global averages well beyond the +1.5°C threshold set by the 2016 Paris Agreements. In just two years, climate change has accelerated at a rate that challenges even the most robust scientific models."

"For decades, architecture has responded to the climate crisis through mitigation: designing to reduce our impact on the climate. But this approach is no longer sufficient. The time has come for architecture to move from mitigation to adaptation: rethinking how we design for a profoundly changed world."

"Adaptation requires a radical shift in our practice. This year’s Exhibition, Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective., invites different forms of intelligence to collaborate in reimagining the built environment. The very title of the Exhibition, Intelligens, contains the Latin word gens (‘people’), urging us to experiment beyond a narrow focus on Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies."

"In the Age of Adaptation, architecture is a crucial nexus that must lead the process with optimism. Architecture must draw upon all forms of intelligence: natural, artificial, collective. It must address multiple generations and disciplines, from exact sciences to the arts. It must rethink authorship and become more inclusive, learning from the sciences. Architecture must become flexible and dynamic, just like the world it is designing for."

KEY PROJECT POINTS

A. Intelligens serves as a dynamic laboratory, bringing together experts in various forms of intelligence. For the first time, the Exhibition will feature over 750 participants, including architects and engineers, mathematicians and climate scientists, philosophers and artists, chefs and programmers, writers and woodcarvers, farmers and designers, and many more. Adaptation requires inclusivity and collaboration.

B. Such a large-scale curatorial effort demanded a substantial shift in approach and mindset. The selection process was open and grassroots-driven, guided by an interdisciplinary curatorial team. The Space for Ideas call for projects (May 7–June 21, 2024) generated a significant global response. The overwhelming number of applications was both exhilarating and daunting, allowing the discovery of unheard voices that might have otherwise gone unnoticed.

C. The group of participants spans multiple generations: from seasoned professionals innovating at ninety to recent graduates just beginning their careers. Pritzker Prize winners, former Curators of La Biennale di Venezia, Nobel laureates, and Professors Emeriti will appear alongside emerging architects and researchers. This inclusive process reflects our commitment to a broad spectrum of perspectives.

D. This abundance of contributions calls for a new approach to authorship. Intelligens challenges the tradition of the architect as the sole creator, with other professionals relegated to support roles. Instead, we propose a more inclusive authorship model inspired by scientific research. In the Age of Adaptation, all voices driving the design process must be recognized and credited.

E. In the Age of Adaptation, La Biennale di Venezia must collaborate with other institutions. Intelligens has forged connections with global organizations such as the UN’s COP30 in Belem, C40, the Baukultur Alliance in Davos, the Soft Power Club, and many others. Its public program, GENS, will host a series of meetings and conversations engaging diverse audiences worldwide."

VENICE AS A LIVING LAB

"With the Central Pavilion under renovation for all of 2025, Venice will not only host the Biennale Architettura but will become a living laboratory. The city itself—one of the most exposed and vulnerable to climate change—will serve as the backdrop for a new kind of Exhibition, with installations, prototypes, and experiments spread across the Giardini, the Arsenale, and other districts."

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT of the Biennale

COLLEGE ARCHITECTURE

Eight projects have been selected for the 2nd edition of Biennale College Architettura 2024-2025: Joelle Deeb (Syrian Arab Republic), Jia Wei Huang (Malaysia), Caterina Miralles Tagliabue (Spain), Agnes Thomasina Parker (England), Lucia Rebolino (Italy), Tanvi Khurmi (Canada), Rita Espinha Dos Santos Abreu Morais (Portugal), Florian Kilian Jaritz (Germany), Franziska Gödicke (Germany), Jaakko Julius Heikkilä (Finland), Emil Oscar Lyytikkä (Finland).

The goal of College Architettura 2025 is to accompany the 19th International Architecture Exhibition with a research and experimentation laboratory for the development and production of projects utilizing natural, artificial, and collective intelligence to combat the climate crisis. More than 200 students, graduates, and emerging professionals under 30 from 49 countries worldwide applied to participate.

The eight projects will receive a contribution of €20,000 to develop their final work. The completed projects will be presented out of competition as part of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective., curated by Carlo Ratti.

COUNTRIES

Sixty-six national participations will organize their exhibitions in the Pavilions at the Giardini (26), the Arsenale (25), and the historic center of Venice (15). There are four new participations: Republic of Azerbaijan, Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, and Togo.

ITALIAN PAVILION

The Italian Pavilion at the Tese delle Vergini in the Arsenale, supported and promoted by the Directorate-General for Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture, is curated by Guendalina Salimei with the project TERRÆ AQUÆ. Italy and the Intelligence of the Sea.

HOLY SEE

The Pavilion of the Holy See, promoted by the Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education of the Holy See, Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, will be held this year at the Complex of Santa Maria Ausiliatrice (Fondamenta S. Gioacchin, Castello 450). The exhibition, titled Opera Aperta, is curated by Marina Otero Verzier and Giovanna Zabotti.

VENICE PAVILION

The Municipality of Venice participates with the historic Venice Pavilion at the Giardini, hosting the exhibition Libraries. Building Venetian Intelligence. The city pavilion will have extensions in other institutional spaces and the venues of the Iuav University of Venice.

COLLATERAL EVENTS

The Collateral Events admitted by the Curator, promoted by national and international non-profit organizations and institutions, will be announced in the coming weeks. Organized in various locations throughout Venice, these events contribute to the plurality of voices within the Exhibition.

SPECIAL PROJECTS realized by La Biennale di Venezia

The Margherissima project, presented inside the Austrian Powder Magazine at Forte Marghera in Mestre, focuses on the Marghera area and the contaminated territory near the Ponte della Libertà. It is designed by Nigel Coates, Michael Kevern, Guan Lee, John Maybury, and Jan Bunge, participants in the International Exhibition.

The Applied Arts Pavilion, presented for the ninth consecutive year by La Biennale di Venezia and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, is titled On Storage. Curated by Brendan Cormier in collaboration with Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R), it explores the global architecture of storage spaces facilitating the circulation of objects and includes a new six-channel film directed by DS+R.

BIENNALE SESSIONS, the project for Universities

La Biennale is once again dedicating the Biennale Sessions project to universities, academies, and higher education institutions. The aim is to facilitate three-day visits organized by groups of at least 50 students and faculty, providing travel and accommodation assistance, as well as the possibility of hosting seminars in exhibition venues free of charge. To date, 24 Italian institutions, 20 international institutions, and 6 institutions involved through a joint project with DASTU-Politecnico di Milano have joined the initiative.

EDUCATIONAL

Educational refers to a set of educational proposals by La Biennale di Venezia aimed at the audience of exhibitions and festivals, including universities, schools, families, and enthusiasts. Over the last two years, with the two major exhibitions—the 18th International Architecture Exhibition and the 60th International Art Exhibition—a total of 131,509 individuals participated, including 72,125 young people in Educational activities. The 2025 program continues to offer activities for individuals and groups, including students, children, adults, families, professionals, companies, and universities, emphasizing active engagement. Conducted by trained Biennale staff, the initiatives are divided into Guided Tours, Laboratory Activities, and Interactive Initiatives.

PUBLISHING OFFER AND GRAPHIC DESIGN PROJECT

The official catalog, titled Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective., consists of two volumes. Volume I, dedicated to the International Exhibition curated by Carlo Ratti, is divided into two parts: Intelligens, presenting the sections of the Exhibition, and Venice as a Living Lab, showcasing special projects transforming Venice and the Exhibition venues into living laboratories. Volume II features National Participations and Collateral Events. The graphic identity of the Biennale Architettura 2025 and the publication design are curated by Bänziger Hug Kasper Florio. The volumes are published by Edizioni La Biennale di Venezia.

LA BIENNALE'S COMMITMENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION

Since 2021, La Biennale has undertaken a sustainability revision of all activities. Since 2022, it has achieved carbon neutrality certification under PAS 2060 standards for all annual events through data collection and emission reduction measures. For 2025, La Biennale aims for carbon neutrality certification under ISO 14068 for all scheduled activities, including the 82nd Venice International Film Festival and the 19th International Architecture Exhibition. Visitor mobility remains the primary source of the carbon footprint, and efforts in awareness and communication continue.

The Circular Economy Manifesto by Carlo Ratti, guided by Arup with contributions from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, promotes sustainable design and installation practices. The goal is to create pavilions and spaces demonstrating bold circular thinking and lasting sustainability.

PARTNERS AND SPONSORS

Biennale Architettura 2025 is supported by Rolex as the Official Partner and Timepiece. Sponsors include Bloomberg Philanthropies, Vela - Venezia Unica, Hydro, and Gruppo Saviola. Thanks to Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. Rai is the Media Partner, covering the event on TV, radio, and the web.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to the Ministry of Culture, local institutions, the City of Venice, the Veneto Region, the Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape, the Italian Navy, and the Historical Naval Museum of Venice. Special thanks to donors, international institutions, Carlo Ratti, his team, and all professionals involved in the Exhibition.

Official website: www.labiennale.org

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