Award-Winning Architecture Designed to Save the World
These award-winning projects, from one of the world's major architecture exhibitions, prove that to be just beautiful is no longer enough
The Biennale Architettura, or the Architectural Biennale in Venice, Italy, is alternated year on year with the city’s art exhibition; each one takes place in Venice once every two years. And the president of the overarching Biennale di Venezia fund, Paolo Baratta, assigns a curator who, in turn, decides on the next exhibition’s subject.
For 2016, the choice was made in favour of the Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena as curator, and just a few months later – by coincidence – he became the most recent winner of the most prestigious architecture award in the world, the Pritzker Architecture Prize. As a result of Aravena’s strong interest in social and sustainable architecture, this became the subject of this year’s biennale.
For 2016, the choice was made in favour of the Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena as curator, and just a few months later – by coincidence – he became the most recent winner of the most prestigious architecture award in the world, the Pritzker Architecture Prize. As a result of Aravena’s strong interest in social and sustainable architecture, this became the subject of this year’s biennale.
Architect Alejandro Aravena, © La Biennale di Venezia
An architect couldn’t imagine greater success for himself than Aravena has achieved. However, Aravena is extremely modest in his everyday life, and is as passionate and interested as a true Latin American when it comes to work. Shortly before the start of the exhibition, his company Elemental S.A. published completely free documentation and guidance for following the ‘incremental housing’ system the architect created.
These are the projects that made Aravena famous as a ‘social front fighter’: having a minimal budget at his disposal and a duty to provide earthquake victims with housing as soon as possible, Aravena suggested building only half of the house so that the owners would later complete it on their own.
An architect couldn’t imagine greater success for himself than Aravena has achieved. However, Aravena is extremely modest in his everyday life, and is as passionate and interested as a true Latin American when it comes to work. Shortly before the start of the exhibition, his company Elemental S.A. published completely free documentation and guidance for following the ‘incremental housing’ system the architect created.
These are the projects that made Aravena famous as a ‘social front fighter’: having a minimal budget at his disposal and a duty to provide earthquake victims with housing as soon as possible, Aravena suggested building only half of the house so that the owners would later complete it on their own.
XV architecture biennale of Venice teaser, © La Biennale di Venezia
The subject Aravena chose for the XV architecture biennale was focused on social as well. The exhibition, with the ‘Reporting from the front’ slogan, was designed to show the results of the unseen struggle architects around the world are facing every day. Somewhere, it’s about answering basic needs of warm shelter, about the stability and comfort, and about improving the quality of life and personal growth.
One way or another, the exhibitions in the national pavilions and installations designed by 88 architects, all of whom were invited by the curator, have demonstrated that the social aspect of architecture is way more important than it seems. Along with politics and economics, it can make the world a better place. We will try to explain how exactly can it happen using the examples of the exhibition’s award-winning projects.
The subject Aravena chose for the XV architecture biennale was focused on social as well. The exhibition, with the ‘Reporting from the front’ slogan, was designed to show the results of the unseen struggle architects around the world are facing every day. Somewhere, it’s about answering basic needs of warm shelter, about the stability and comfort, and about improving the quality of life and personal growth.
One way or another, the exhibitions in the national pavilions and installations designed by 88 architects, all of whom were invited by the curator, have demonstrated that the social aspect of architecture is way more important than it seems. Along with politics and economics, it can make the world a better place. We will try to explain how exactly can it happen using the examples of the exhibition’s award-winning projects.
Winner of the Golden lion for 2016, ‘Breaking the Siege’ by Gabinete Arquitectura
In numerous interviews prior to the biennale, Alejandro Aravena repeatedly voiced startling figures: the level of urbanisation and the sheer number of people flowing into cities around the world has reached such speeds that in a few years’ time, in order to provide everyone with shelter, we will have to build a new city capable of holding one million people every week, without spending more than AU$13,600 dollars on each family. It would be impossible to do using today’s methods.
That’s why the curator appealed to the international community, asking to think of new ways to cut down on the duration and budget of any construction.
In numerous interviews prior to the biennale, Alejandro Aravena repeatedly voiced startling figures: the level of urbanisation and the sheer number of people flowing into cities around the world has reached such speeds that in a few years’ time, in order to provide everyone with shelter, we will have to build a new city capable of holding one million people every week, without spending more than AU$13,600 dollars on each family. It would be impossible to do using today’s methods.
That’s why the curator appealed to the international community, asking to think of new ways to cut down on the duration and budget of any construction.
Installation Gabinete Arquitectura at the central pavilion in Giardini, © La Biennale di Venezia
It is no coincidence, therefore, that the whole world is talking about a new trend called ‘vernacular architecture’; this is the recovery of authentic and traditional architecture that only makes use of local materials, which in turn makes the realisation of the project significantly faster and cheaper.
Architect Solano Benitez of Golden Lion-winning firm Gabinete Architectura, has been using two resources available to anyone in his native country of Paraguay for many years to put vernacular architecture into practice: bricks and unqualified workforce. There is no other workforce available in developing countries, and the lack of professionals leads to engaging a higher number of unskilled people to do the job. This leads to job creation, which is crucial for a country whose economy sits below the poverty line.
It is no coincidence, therefore, that the whole world is talking about a new trend called ‘vernacular architecture’; this is the recovery of authentic and traditional architecture that only makes use of local materials, which in turn makes the realisation of the project significantly faster and cheaper.
Architect Solano Benitez of Golden Lion-winning firm Gabinete Architectura, has been using two resources available to anyone in his native country of Paraguay for many years to put vernacular architecture into practice: bricks and unqualified workforce. There is no other workforce available in developing countries, and the lack of professionals leads to engaging a higher number of unskilled people to do the job. This leads to job creation, which is crucial for a country whose economy sits below the poverty line.
Benitez’s genius is in achieving impressive results even with unqualified workers: his brick constructions, one of which is seen here, dazzle you with their scale, quality of execution and open-structure elegance.
The latter, by the way, is more than merely an aesthetic choice: the meticulously calculated configuration saves a substantial amount of brick, cutting back costs without compromising the structure’s stability. In this way, Solano Benitez is breaking the ‘siege’ – the oppressing power of conservative approaches to architecture – one brick at a time.
The arch, built as high as all central pavilion spaces in Giardini, became the symbol of technological triumph at this exhibition, opening up a whole world of interesting installations dedicated to innovative construction methods.
The latter, by the way, is more than merely an aesthetic choice: the meticulously calculated configuration saves a substantial amount of brick, cutting back costs without compromising the structure’s stability. In this way, Solano Benitez is breaking the ‘siege’ – the oppressing power of conservative approaches to architecture – one brick at a time.
The arch, built as high as all central pavilion spaces in Giardini, became the symbol of technological triumph at this exhibition, opening up a whole world of interesting installations dedicated to innovative construction methods.
Special mention, ‘Onore Perduto’ by Maria Giuseppina Grasso Cannizzo
Maria Giuseppina Grasso Canizzo’s work, given a special mention by the jury, used a completely different approach: from the outside, the cube looks to be made of blank notebook pages. From the inside, however, this cube presented a different scene. Every sheet was actually a sectional drawing or a photograph of one of the projects carried out in southern Sicily – Grasso Cannizzo’s motherland – in the last 40 years.
Maria Giuseppina Grasso Canizzo’s work, given a special mention by the jury, used a completely different approach: from the outside, the cube looks to be made of blank notebook pages. From the inside, however, this cube presented a different scene. Every sheet was actually a sectional drawing or a photograph of one of the projects carried out in southern Sicily – Grasso Cannizzo’s motherland – in the last 40 years.
Installation by Maria Giuseppina Grasso Cannizzo at Central pavilion in Giardini, © La Biennale di Venezia
Strolling through the inside of this structure, you’ll still want to put glasses on to see all of the intricate details in the drawings. It looks like this was author’s intention, because Maria is drawing our attention to the projects of so-called small scale – the projects that are not usually published in glossy magazines.
Compact houses, household buildings, petrol stations and kiosks - Grasso Cannizzo is convinced that architecture’s ‘lost honour’ (which is the English translation of the Italian title of this installation) can only be restored if we switch focus back onto the smaller things. While large-scale projects are being frozen as the financial crisis in much of Europe deepens, it is possible to practise sustainable architecture principles and experiment with new materials and alternative construction technologies on compact buildings.
Strolling through the inside of this structure, you’ll still want to put glasses on to see all of the intricate details in the drawings. It looks like this was author’s intention, because Maria is drawing our attention to the projects of so-called small scale – the projects that are not usually published in glossy magazines.
Compact houses, household buildings, petrol stations and kiosks - Grasso Cannizzo is convinced that architecture’s ‘lost honour’ (which is the English translation of the Italian title of this installation) can only be restored if we switch focus back onto the smaller things. While large-scale projects are being frozen as the financial crisis in much of Europe deepens, it is possible to practise sustainable architecture principles and experiment with new materials and alternative construction technologies on compact buildings.
Winner of the Silver Lion for the most promising architect of 2016: Kunle Adeyemi, NLÉ
Kunle Adeyemi – a citizen of one of the biggest megalopolises in Nigeria, Lagos – is also focusing his work on social architecture. Once, almost a decade ago, the famous Dutch architect and curator of the 2014 Venice Biennale, Rem Koolhaas, visited Lagos and met with Adeyemi.
Kunle Adeyemi – a citizen of one of the biggest megalopolises in Nigeria, Lagos – is also focusing his work on social architecture. Once, almost a decade ago, the famous Dutch architect and curator of the 2014 Venice Biennale, Rem Koolhaas, visited Lagos and met with Adeyemi.
Together, Adeyemi and Koolhaas began exploring the possibilities of Lagosian architecture and, thanks to this experience, the young architect gained a position working at Koolhaas’ architectural firm, OMA, for the next 10 years in Europe. Some thought that the young Nigerian wouldn’t want to come back home after making it out of the country and receiving such a quality education, but Adeyemi wasn’t like that. Having gathered enough experience in Europe, he came back to Lagos and one of the first things he created was the Makoko wooden floating school, seen here.
Makoko is the name of Lagosian slums. Half of the buildings in the slums become flooded when it rains – including the structure that used to house the area’s school. This was why Adeyemi made the new school a floating one: he mounted a wooden construction onto more than 3,000 empty plastic bottles, to create a pontoon.
The school is remarkable for its size as well – at three-storeys high, it’s the biggest public space in Makoko slums and each floor is 100 square metres in area. And if this is considered spacious, one can only imagine the size of their slum dwellings. The school was recreated in life size for the biennale, and can be found floating on the canal next to the Venetian Arsenal.
Winner of the Golden Lion for the best national pavilion, ‘Unfinished’ by Spain
A variety of projects were presented at the award-winning Spanish pavilion: as many as 55 works were selected by the pavilion’s curators, architects Inaqui Carnicero and Carlos Quintans, out of 550 works.
Although the title of the winning exhibition, ‘Unfinished’, can be seen as being full of despair, the idea was to demonstrate future possibilities even for the abandoned, half-ruined or unfinished buildings.
A variety of projects were presented at the award-winning Spanish pavilion: as many as 55 works were selected by the pavilion’s curators, architects Inaqui Carnicero and Carlos Quintans, out of 550 works.
Although the title of the winning exhibition, ‘Unfinished’, can be seen as being full of despair, the idea was to demonstrate future possibilities even for the abandoned, half-ruined or unfinished buildings.
Installation ‘Unfinished’, Spanish pavilion, © Fernando Maquieira
Depending on what strategy was used to breathe new life into the building being displayed in this installation, the project is attributed to a different category.
Depending on what strategy was used to breathe new life into the building being displayed in this installation, the project is attributed to a different category.
Cinema Lidia project © José Hevia
For example, Núria Salvadó and David Tapias’ project on turning an old cinema into housing was attributed to the ‘Adaptable’ category by the exhibition’s curators. In order to make people feel comfortable and warm inside the big empty spaces of the cinema, Salvadó and Tapias built a house inside the building, locating each functional zone inside a mini-container – a wooden structure, wrapped in film, as seen here.
For example, Núria Salvadó and David Tapias’ project on turning an old cinema into housing was attributed to the ‘Adaptable’ category by the exhibition’s curators. In order to make people feel comfortable and warm inside the big empty spaces of the cinema, Salvadó and Tapias built a house inside the building, locating each functional zone inside a mini-container – a wooden structure, wrapped in film, as seen here.
Similar wooden structures can be seen in this 23-metre living room project in Madrid, which its creators, Uriel Fogué, Eva Gil and Carlos Palacios, have playfully named ‘Susaloon‘; Susan’s saloon. Despite its compact dimensions, this living room can accommodate big crowds. The panels inside the wooden frames along the walls turn into beds, tables and benches.
Susaloon project, © Imagen Subliminal Miguel de Guzmán
The subject of incompleteness is expressed in the exhibition design: all of the projects’ details and photo works are mounted on the metal skeleton instead of drywall sheets, this structure appears in the centre of the pavilion. So the title ‘Unfinished’ seems to be spot on – meaning that the viewer leaves the exhibition feeling that everything is yet to come.
Special mention for the best national pavilion, ‘EN’ by Japan
The complete title of the Japanese pavilion exhibition, curated by Yoshiyuki Yamana is: ‘EN: Art of Nexus’, or ‘EN: Art of communication’. ‘EN’ in Japanese means ‘empathy’ – in this case the empathy is for our the people we live alongside.
The complete title of the Japanese pavilion exhibition, curated by Yoshiyuki Yamana is: ‘EN: Art of Nexus’, or ‘EN: Art of communication’. ‘EN’ in Japanese means ‘empathy’ – in this case the empathy is for our the people we live alongside.
Installation ‘EN’, Japanese pavilion, © Andrea Avezzi, Francesco Galli
It has always been a little bit tight space-wise in the Land of the Rising Sun, but after the earthquake and considering the growth of disoccupation among young people, a single person can’t afford paying rent on their own anymore. The idea of a few people sharing the rent and forming some sort of a communal flat isn’t a new one. However, the uniqueness of the Japanese model lies in not dividing the space into tiny individual sections, but instead letting the spaces flow from one to another as though they belonged to everyone at the same time.
It has always been a little bit tight space-wise in the Land of the Rising Sun, but after the earthquake and considering the growth of disoccupation among young people, a single person can’t afford paying rent on their own anymore. The idea of a few people sharing the rent and forming some sort of a communal flat isn’t a new one. However, the uniqueness of the Japanese model lies in not dividing the space into tiny individual sections, but instead letting the spaces flow from one to another as though they belonged to everyone at the same time.
House for the seven, © Sadao Hotta
In Japan, it’s common for the people you live alongside to see you inside the more intimate areas of your life. This intimacy is even more acceptable because the housemates for these shared developments are carefully selected through a special social network, and everything is based upon free will. The belief is that if we can share interests, hobbies and views with people in our social network, why not our homes as well?
In Japan, it’s common for the people you live alongside to see you inside the more intimate areas of your life. This intimacy is even more acceptable because the housemates for these shared developments are carefully selected through a special social network, and everything is based upon free will. The belief is that if we can share interests, hobbies and views with people in our social network, why not our homes as well?
Yokogama apartments, © Koichi Torimura
The same ‘social network for neighbours’ is connected to the abandoned houses’ database in Japan: one of these abandoned buildings is assigned to a group of people that chose to live with each other, and it gets renovated step by step by them.
The same ‘social network for neighbours’ is connected to the abandoned houses’ database in Japan: one of these abandoned buildings is assigned to a group of people that chose to live with each other, and it gets renovated step by step by them.
Installation ‘Plan Selva’, Peruvian pavilion, © Mauro Romanzi
Special mention for the best national pavilion, ‘Plan Selva’ (Forest Plan), Peru
The issue of accessible education, manifested in Kunle Adeyemi’s work, is played out on a larger scale in Peru’s exhibition entitled ‘Plan Selva’.
Special mention for the best national pavilion, ‘Plan Selva’ (Forest Plan), Peru
The issue of accessible education, manifested in Kunle Adeyemi’s work, is played out on a larger scale in Peru’s exhibition entitled ‘Plan Selva’.
Modular school building system, © Ministry of Education
From one point of view, ‘Plan Selva’ is all about architecture: students of the Catholic university of Peru designed a flexible modular system that takes into account a diverse landscape, differences in education programs and variations in the number of students in classes, as well as the need to stand against the environmental powers and floods. They also have electricity, hot water and canalisation there – today only 15% of Amazonian schools have these facilities.
From one point of view, ‘Plan Selva’ is all about architecture: students of the Catholic university of Peru designed a flexible modular system that takes into account a diverse landscape, differences in education programs and variations in the number of students in classes, as well as the need to stand against the environmental powers and floods. They also have electricity, hot water and canalisation there – today only 15% of Amazonian schools have these facilities.
Schools resisting a flood, © Ministry of Education
From a different perspective, this project has a much deeper purpose. Making education affordable and accessible for the majority of locals is going to help save an ancient Amazonian culture, and the land itself along with it. Thanks to the Amazonian region’s biodiversity, the areas is where one-third of all of Earth’s micro-organisms live.
From a different perspective, this project has a much deeper purpose. Making education affordable and accessible for the majority of locals is going to help save an ancient Amazonian culture, and the land itself along with it. Thanks to the Amazonian region’s biodiversity, the areas is where one-third of all of Earth’s micro-organisms live.
Peru’s national pavilion, © Mauro Romanzi
It is truly amazing how, after so many years of humiliation and forced migration, native Amazonians have managed to preserve their ancestors’ unique knowledge about medicine, botanics, and the ability to live surrounded by wild nature without destroying it. This is something European conquerors – who in 50 years managed to cut down 70% of the Amazon’s rainforests – should learn from their example.
It is truly amazing how, after so many years of humiliation and forced migration, native Amazonians have managed to preserve their ancestors’ unique knowledge about medicine, botanics, and the ability to live surrounded by wild nature without destroying it. This is something European conquerors – who in 50 years managed to cut down 70% of the Amazon’s rainforests – should learn from their example.
The first completed school of the ‘Plan Selva’ program, © Veronica Lanza
Today the state is hoping for a mutually profitable cultural exchange: Peru builds new, comfortable schools and launches education programs that take into consideration local traditions, and the local population teaches Peruvians to live sustainably in the area. This is necessary to help counteract the effects of deforestation in the area, which had such a significant impact on the increase of the greenhouse effect.
In this way, the architecture that’s saving the world – in this case through educational institutions – is so much more that merely a metaphor. It’s reality.
TELL US
Which of these award-winning socially conscious projects has had the biggest impact on you? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Today the state is hoping for a mutually profitable cultural exchange: Peru builds new, comfortable schools and launches education programs that take into consideration local traditions, and the local population teaches Peruvians to live sustainably in the area. This is necessary to help counteract the effects of deforestation in the area, which had such a significant impact on the increase of the greenhouse effect.
In this way, the architecture that’s saving the world – in this case through educational institutions – is so much more that merely a metaphor. It’s reality.
TELL US
Which of these award-winning socially conscious projects has had the biggest impact on you? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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