Andrea Faraguna Wins Golden Lion for Bahrain Pavilion at 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale
At the 19th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, which runs until November 23, 2025, the Kingdom of Bahrain was awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation for its project 'Canicola (Heatwave)'. This initiative tackles the challenges posed by extreme heat through a concrete architectural design. The pavilion, curated by Italian architect Andrea Faraguna alongside Wafa Al Ghatam, Eman Ali, Alexander Puzrin, and Mario Monotti, reimagines public spaces in hot climates by employing traditional thermodynamic concepts. It creates a model for four public areas in Bahrain, emphasizing the movement of air and earth. Faraguna intends to further investigate public space dynamics and is exploring future partnerships with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities.
Key facts
- Golden Lion for Best National Participation at 19th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice awarded to Kingdom of Bahrain
- Pavilion titled 'Canicola (Heatwave)' curated by Italian architect Andrea Faraguna
- Team includes Wafa Al Ghatam, Eman Ali, Alexander Puzrin, Mario Monotti
- Exhibition runs until November 23, 2025 at Arsenale, Venice
- Project uses solar chimney and geothermal well principles from traditional architecture
- Faraguna studied badgir (Yazd, Iran), madbasa (Bahrain), qanat (Iran)
- Pavilion simulates spatial unit for four public contexts in Bahrain
- Faraguna grew up in Venice and previously snuck into Biennale spaces as a teenager
Entities
Artists
- Andrea Faraguna
- Wafa Al Ghatam
- Eman Ali
- Alexander Puzrin
- Mario Monotti
- Niccolò Lucarelli
Institutions
- Biennale Architettura 2025
- Arsenale
- Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities
- Artribune
- Superstudio
- Archizoom
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Bahrain
- Yazd
- Iran
- Arsenale