12th Venice Architecture Biennale: Eclecticism and Critique

The 12th Venice Architecture Biennale, curated by Kazuyo Sejima (Pritzker Prize 2010, SANAA), ran from August 29 to November 21, 2010, at the Arsenale and Giardini under the theme 'People Meet in Architecture.' The review by Paul Ardenne criticizes the event for eclecticism and lack of coherence, highlighting a divide between starchitecture and functional building. Notable pavilions include Dominique Perrault's French pavilion on the Grand Paris project, the Bahrain pavilion (awarded best pavilion) addressing suburban transformation and loss of coastal heritage, and contributions from Ensamble Studio, Wang Shu, De Vylder Vinck, Toyo Ito (Taichung Opera), and Israel's focus on emergency architecture. The review calls for ethics, pedagogy, and humility in architecture, noting a shift away from spectacle toward eco-responsibility and vernacular solutions.