Biennale Architettura 2025: Top and Flops from Venice
The 19th International Architecture Exhibition, led by curator Carlo Ratti and themed 'Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.', commenced in Venice and will continue until November 23, 2025, showcasing over 750 participants. Significant features include the renovation of Biennale facilities, supported by 169.556 million euros from Italy's PNC and PNRR initiatives, which includes new ticket offices costing 3.3 million euros and an International Center for Research on Contemporary Arts. At the Giardini, a Community Centre by Yasmeen Lari has been inaugurated, and Qatar is set to construct its pavilion, designed by Lina Ghotmeh. Noteworthy collateral exhibitions are 'Migrating Modernism' and 'For All That Breathes On Earth', while critiques focus on overcrowding, dense installations, AI-generated summaries, and the Austrian Pavilion's ideological perspective.
Key facts
- 19th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, curated by Carlo Ratti, runs until November 23, 2025.
- Theme: 'Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.' with over 750 participants.
- 169.556 million euros invested in Biennale infrastructure via PNC and PNRR.
- New ticket offices cost 3.3 million euros.
- New International Center for Research on Contemporary Arts at Arsenale and Central Pavilion renovation for 2026 Art Biennale.
- Community Centre by Yasmeen Lari at Giardini; Qatar's permanent pavilion designed by Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture.
- Collateral exhibitions at SMAC San Marco Art Centre (Harry Seidler, Jung Youngsun) and Fondazione Prada.
- Davide Rivalta lion sculptures and Marti Guixé seating in Campo Santa Maria Formosa; Cristiana Collu new director of Fondazione Querini Stampalia.
- Open calls for Italian Pavilion (Guendalina Salimei) and Portugal criticized for overcrowding.
- Austrian Pavilion criticized for ideological comparison of Vienna and Rome housing.
Entities
Artists
- Carlo Ratti
- Yasmeen Lari
- Lina Ghotmeh
- Lesley Lokko
- Harry Seidler
- Jung Youngsun
- Davide Rivalta
- Marti Guixé
- Guendalina Salimei
- Cristiana Collu
- Valentina Silvestrini
- Massimiliano Tonelli
Institutions
- Biennale Architettura 2025
- Heritage Foundation of Pakistan
- SMAC San Marco Art Centre
- Fondazione Prada
- Fondazione Querini Stampalia
- Nicoletta Fiorucci Foundation
- Artribune
- Ministero della Cultura
- Comune di Venezia
- Padiglione Italia
- Austrian Pavilion
- Portuguese Pavilion
Locations
- Venice
- Italy
- Giardini
- Arsenale
- Lido
- Campo Santa Maria Formosa
- Dorsoduro
- Piazza San Marco
- Vienna
- Austria
- Rome
- Qatar
- Paris
- Pakistan