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Events, exhibitions, and installations: hundreds of initiatives are scheduled as part of — or in parallel with — the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Curated by architect and engineer Carlo Ratti and titled Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective., the 2025 Architecture Biennale is open to visitors until November 23, 2025, at the Giardini, the Arsenale, and Forte Marghera.
Here are THE PLAN’s suggestions for the unmissable events taking place in Venice over the coming months.
The installation Gateway to Venice’s Waterway, located at the Arsenale beside the historic Armstrong Mitchell crane, marks the beginning of a collaboration between the Norman Foster Foundation and Porsche. It is part of the eighth edition of The Art of Dreams, an artistic initiative that since 2021 has given the German car manufacturer the opportunity to work with artists and designers worldwide, exploring the concept of dreaming as a creative engine.
Measuring 37 meters in length, the structure — conceived by the Norman Foster Foundation in collaboration with Porsche — explores the theme of urban mobility through a language that weaves together architecture, design, and engineering. Echoing Venice’s iconic bridge network, Gateway to Venice’s Waterway functions as an experimental hub for electric mobility, designed for an urban setting that is both fragile and symbolic.
The installation is a tangible manifesto for sustainability: made of lightweight aluminum, the structure is engineered to minimize environmental impact. Its outer surface features a dynamic, energy-efficient skin, and most of the materials used are recycled and paired with sustainable construction systems.
The amphitheatre Un Fiore a San Servolo, designed by MCA – Mario Cucinella Architects, is part of a broader initiative to enhance the island of San Servolo, a longstanding hub for culture, innovation, and international education. Located in the heart of the Venetian Lagoon, San Servolo has a rich history: once a convent, then a military hospital with an adjoining historical pharmacy, and later a psychiatric hospital, it has now transformed into a vibrant cultural and research center hosting over 100 events each year.
Inaugurated on May 23, the amphitheatre by Mario Cucinella was built by assembling nearly 800 modular blocks, divided into 62 different types. Each component was produced using a 3D printing process with a natural lime-based material. The project was developed from a base module designed to interlock and form a self-supporting structure. The concept stems from the desire to create a space for connection and sharing: like the corolla of a flower, the amphitheatre seamlessly engages with the surrounding natural environment. Its visual backdrop is the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, becoming an integral part of the spatial experience. The project is part of the VID Venice Innovation Design initiative, and the structure is intended to remain available to the island’s community.
Part bar, part laboratory, Canal Café draws water from the Venetian lagoon to brew Italy’s finest espresso. The project, by New York–based studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro, winner of the Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, delves beneath the city’s photogenic surface, transforming brackish waters—often associated with fears of contamination and flooding—into the comforting aroma of coffee, a symbol of Italian culture worldwide.
A hybrid natural-artificial purification system accelerates the cleansing effects of tidal wetlands, making canal water drinkable. After a complex process, the water is purified, mineralized, and turned into espresso. The water system is continuously monitored, tested, and maintained to ensure a steady supply of safe, clean water. Canal Café shows how the city of Venice can serve as a laboratory for reimagining life on the water, while also opening the door to future speculative reflections on this and other lagoons.
Created by SCAPE, the studio led by Kate Orff, the installation Cool Forest explores the themes of urban overheating, adaptation, and biodiversity. Like a window onto the future climate of Venice, Cool Forest transforms the Arsenale into an interactive experience: the installation showcases trees that have adapted to hotter, drier conditions, promoting plant migration as essential to designing resilient landscapes. Integrated sensors monitor plant growth, change, and heat. The goal is to highlight the power of landscape as essential climate infrastructure, not only in Venice, but in cities around the world.
Designed in collaboration with agronomist Marco Scano and the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, the installation is lined with coconut trunks, which serve as comfortable shaded seating. After the exhibition closes, the vegetation will be replanted across the city and the lagoon.
Matteo Thun & Partners brings the installation Fratelli Tutti to Venice: set up at the Arsenale and inspired by the encyclical of the same name by Pope Francis, the work pays homage to the universal values of love and peace, shared by religions across the world. The installation was built using reclaimed wood from an abandoned mountain hut in Pavicolo, in the South Tyrolean Alps, and is conceived as both a physical and metaphorical meeting place, inviting the public to pause and reflect on the values that unite humanity.
The recovered wood reflects the passage of time and the resilience of tradition. By reusing material from a disused barn, the work highlights its potential for renewal and transformation, honoring its origins and reminding viewers of life’s cycles and the many ways in which humanity is connected to the natural world. At the close of the Architecture Biennale, Fratelli Tutti will reach its final destination in the Alps, at an altitude of 2,000 meters.
Three leading Italian companies — Pininfarina, newcleo, and Fincantieri — are unveiling a radical proposition at this year’s Biennale: to change the perception of nuclear energy through the culture of design. At the Corderie of the Arsenale, visitors are invited to explore, for the first time, a full-scale reproduction of the TL-40 nuclear reactor, the technological core of newcleo’s vision for safe, sustainable, and compact fission. The project merges cutting-edge design, technological innovation, and industrial vision, aiming to overcome the fears and misconceptions surrounding nuclear energy, and to restore its relevance in the discourse on decarbonization and the future of energy.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is the TL-40 reactor by newcleo, a next-generation system cooled by liquid lead. Thanks to the contribution of Pininfarina, the reactor is transformed into an aesthetic and symbolic object, designed to fascinate and provoke curiosity, while making the physical and scientific principles behind its function tangible and accessible.
Inspired by the traditional Chinese oiled-paper umbrella, the Chinese Paper Umbrella installation by MAD is set up outside the China Pavilion at the Arsenale, which is also curated by Ma Yansong. The work pays tribute to this ancient craft, shaping an open-air space that offers shelter from sun, rain, and wind. Chinese Paper Umbrella uses Xuan paper as its main material, repeatedly coated with tung oil to make it both translucent and water-resistant.
Upon entering the structure, visitors find themselves immersed in shifting light, where patterns of shadow and glow unfold, accompanied by a slight difference in temperature compared to the outside. On hot, dry days, a built-in misting system placed at the top of the structure is activated, cooling the air below. Over time, the oiled paper naturally yellows and wears due to exposure to the elements, highlighting the ephemeral nature of the installation.
The exhibition Water Parliaments: Projective Ecosocial Architectures investigates the interdependent relationships between humans, non-humans, and the water systems on which they rely, with the goal of reshaping collective imaginaries and perspectives on how to build an ecosocial balance that is as urgent as it is necessary. Curated by Eva Franch i Gilabert, Mireia Luzárraga, and Alejandro Muiño, the show takes place at the Docks Cantieri Cucchini as part of the Collateral Events of the Architecture Biennale.
The exhibition design transforms a space historically used for shipbuilding into a sort of "aquatic parliament," where visitors can explore the fundamental role of water as both a vital resource and a cultural agent. The research project brings together experts from a wide range of fields and bodies of knowledge: guardians of land and sea, scientists who study or transform geological, climatic, biological, and hydrological territories, along with activists, artists, and designers from both the public and private sectors.
Designed by Nigerian architect Mariam Issoufou, the Rolex Pavilion was built with the help of local artisans, using traditional construction methods and recycled materials. The project draws inspiration from the very shape of Venice—an island divided in two by the Grand Canal. The façade recalls the fluted bezel of some of the brand’s iconic watches; inside, the translucent, colored ceiling was crafted by Murano glass masters, while the aggregate used for the terrazzo flooring includes crushed glass, a byproduct of the glassmaking process known as “cotisso.”
The pavilion hosts three exhibitions, accompanied by video features: one documenting the construction of the new Rolex Pavilion itself; a research study conducted in Beirut; the brand’s Milanese boutique in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, designed by ACPV Architects; and the boutique in Tokyo’s Ginza district, designed by Curiosity.
The exhibition Ancient Future: Bridging Bhutan’s Tradition and Innovation, created by the design studio BIG–Bjarke Ingels Group and hosted at the Arsenale, gives tangible form to the project for the future Gelephu International Airport, proposing a dialogue between Bhutan’s artisanal heritage and the potential of contemporary technology.
At the heart of the exhibition are four 3.5-meter-long glulam timber beams, engraved with the diamond-shaped pattern that will characterize the airport’s structure. Two of them have been hand-carved by Bhutanese craftsmen Sangay Thsering and Yeshi Gyeltshen, while the other two have been machined by a robotic arm that faithfully replicates the same decorative motifs—offering a real-world demonstration of how traditional craftsmanship can find a powerful ally in technology.
Capturing the spirit of the project are three wooden dragon sculptures by Bhutanese artists, symbolizing the country’s past, present, and future. The exhibition is accompanied by a documentary by Laurian Ghinitoiu and Arata Mori, providing a poetic insight into the creative process. At the close of the Biennale, the carved beams will be shipped to Bhutan, where they will symbolically mark the beginning of construction on the Gelephu International Airport.
With the installation Resourceful Intelligence, the design studios Park Associati and Accurat, together with a team of researchers from the Politecnico di Milano, explore strategies to reduce material consumption through the reuse and valorization of existing resources within the urban context.
Set up at the Corderie of the Arsenale, the work combines real case studies with scientific research, investigating the potential of selective deconstruction and urban material mapping through two urban development projects completed by Park in Milan. The initiative aims to demonstrate how the built environment can become an active resource for urban regeneration and promote the activation of processes based on circularity rather than the use of new raw materials.
The video installation Nature Trilogy, created by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing of OPEN Architecture in collaboration with director Zhang Nan, centers around three of the studio’s projects: the UCCA Dune Art Museum, the Chapel of Sound, and the Sun Tower. While each has its own distinct character, all three embody themes such as reverence for nature, resilience, and alignment with celestial cycles. Nature Trilogy draws visitors into an immersive experience aimed at fostering awareness of life’s interconnection and humanity’s role within the natural world.
Jean Nouvel’s project for the new headquarters of the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain in Paris, scheduled for completion by the end of the year, is the focus of the exhibition hosted in the spaces of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore.
The Fondation Cartier’s current building on Boulevard Raspail—also designed by Nouvel—was inaugurated in 1994. In the exhibition at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, visitors can explore the project for the new site, located at 2 Place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre, within a 19th-century Haussmannian building. A large-scale model of the new spaces reveals the potential of a concept that views architecture as a dynamic exhibition tool. A parallel public program investigates the idea of the “museum as a site for architectural experimentation” and its role in shaping the future of the discipline.
Lo studio CRA - Carlo Ratti Associati, in collaborazione con il Comune di Napoli, presenta l'installazioneVela Celeste. Reimagining Home, allestita nella sezione Intelligenza Collettiva alle Corderie dell’Arsenale. L'opera propone un progetto sperimentale di partecipazione per la rinascita delle Vele di Scampia, che nasce dall’ascolto diretto dei residenti, potenziato dall’intelligenza artificiale, utilizzata per tradurre le testimonianze e le idee della comunità in proposte visive e progettuali per il futuro del complesso.
Alla Biennale, il progetto viene presentato come un modello sospeso e trasparente della Vela Celeste, l'unica destinata a restare in piedi. La demolizione delle Vele Rossa e Gialla, infatti, è stata avviata a marzo, nell'ambito di Re-Start Scampia, il più grande progetto di rigenerazione urbana e sociale di Napoli. «Napoli conferma la sua vocazione di città-laboratorio - commenta Laura Lieto, vicesindaca e assessora all'Urbanistica – dove rigenerazione e inclusione vanno di pari passo, creando un modello replicabile in altri contesti alla ricerca di una rinascita urbana».
The studio CRA – Carlo Ratti Associati, in collaboration with the City of Naples, presents the installation Vela Celeste. Reimagining Home, featured in the Collective Intelligence section at the Corderie of the Arsenale. The work showcases an experimental participatory project for the revival of the Vele in Scampia, based on direct engagement with residents and enhanced by artificial intelligence, which was used to translate community testimonies and ideas into visual and design proposals for the future of the complex.
At the Biennale, the project is presented as a suspended, transparent model of the Vela Celeste, the only building that will remain standing. The demolition of the Vela Rossa and Vela Gialla began in March as part of Re-Start Scampia, the largest urban and social regeneration project in Naples. “Naples confirms its vocation as a laboratory city,” commented Laura Lieto, Deputy Mayor and Urban Planning Councillor, “where regeneration and inclusion go hand in hand, creating a model that can be replicated in other contexts seeking urban renewal.”
At Ca’ Corner della Regina, the Venetian venue of Fondazione Prada, Diagrams is currently on view — an exhibition project conceived by AMO/OMA, the studio founded by Rem Koolhaas. The show unfolds across the ground and first floors of the 18th-century palazzo and features over 300 items, including rare documents, publications, digital images, and videos, produced from the 12th century to the present and spanning a variety of cultural and geographic contexts. The material is arranged thematically, reflecting the urgencies of the contemporary world.
The exhibition investigates visual data communication as a powerful device for generating meaning, understanding, or manipulation, and as a pervasive tool to analyze, comprehend, and transform the world. Its aim is to foster dialogue and speculative reflection on the relationship between human intelligence, scientific and cultural phenomena, and the creation and dissemination of knowledge.
The exhibition Intelligens. Talent. EUmies Awards Young Talent 2025, a Collateral Event of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, is on display at Palazzo Mora (Cannaregio 3659) and showcases the finalist projects of the EUmies Awards Young Talent prize, offering a glimpse into some of the most promising work emerging from European and international architecture schools.
The EUmies Awards. Young Talent initiative aims to promote the skills of recently graduated architects, urban planners, and landscape architects, who will be responsible for shaping the environment of tomorrow. The three winners of the EUmies Awards Young Talent—selected from among twelve finalists representing eleven schools in seven different European countries—will be announced on June 19 during the award ceremony, part of the EUmies Awards Day, also held at Palazzo Mora.
Until October 19, in conjunction with the Architecture Biennale, the Correr Museum is hosting the exhibition Il Correr di Carlo Scarpa 1953–1960 at the Palazzo delle Procuratie Nuove. The show recounts the architecture and furnishings designed by Scarpa for the museum in Piazza San Marco through photographs from the MuVe Photographic Archive. Curated by Chiara Squarcina and Andrea Bellieni, the exhibition offers an analytical survey of one of the foundational moments in 20th-century Venetian exhibition history, inviting visitors to reflect on the philological value of restoration applied to museographic architecture.
The exhibition focuses in particular on the two postwar installations designed by Scarpa for the museum: the Venetian History rooms on the first floor (1952–53), which marked the reopening of the museum after the long interruption of the war; and the Picture Gallery on the second floor (1959–60), home to major masterpieces of Venetian and Italian Renaissance painting. In addition to period photographs, the show also features original design elements by Carlo Scarpa, including display cases, vitrines, and the renowned easel for paintings.
The exhibition Time Space Existence, organized by the European Cultural Centre, explores the theme Repair, Regenerate, Reuse. Now in its seventh edition, the show presents both completed and ongoing projects—ranging from conceptual works, models, and photographs to videos, sculptures, and site-specific installations—by more than 207 participants from over 52 countries.
Through works displayed in the rooms of Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Mora, and at the Giardini della Marinaressa, international architects, designers, artists, academics, and researchers reflect on our relationship with space and time, reimagining new ways of living and rethinking architecture through a broader lens.
Among the participants are the Virginia Tech Honors College, in collaboration with Cloud 9, presenting the project unEarthed / Second Nature / PolliNATION, included among the Collateral Events of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, and Elemental, the studio led by Pritzker Prize winner Alejandro Aravena, which showcases a carbon-neutral housing project.
The former Church of San Lorenzo, home to Ocean Space—a global center for ocean conservation research led by TBA21–Academy—hosts the exhibition Otras montañas, las que andan sueltas bajo el agua (Other mountains, adrift beneath the water). Curated by Yina Jiménez Suriel, the show presents newly commissioned works by Caribbean artists Nadia Huggins and Tessa Mars, focusing on their region’s relationship with the ocean and exploring the connection between living organisms and their environment.
In the video installation A shipwreck is not a wreck, Nadia Huggins invites the public to traverse the remains of a stranded boat, where both human and non-human entities—such as rocks, corals, large gelatinous jellyfish, and mangroves—make the ocean their site of growth and transformation. Tessa Mars’s painterly installation A call to the ocean features a series of canvases depicting mountainous formations above sea level. Wandering through these landscapes, one encounters figures seemingly immersed in deep sleep, undergoing formal and structural shifts.
Among the places worth visiting in Venice during the Biennale is ABC Zattere, the new restaurant by Fosbury Architecture, inaugurated on May 8. The project continues the studio’s work—following their curatorship of the Italian Pavilion at the 2023 Architecture Biennale—on the functional and aesthetic design of the spaces of Scuola Piccola Zattere, a non-profit organization dedicated to research and lifelong learning in the expanded field of contemporary arts. At the heart of the project is the courtyard, conceived as an integrated part of Scuola Piccola’s ecosystem and as a space for cultural events and social gatherings.
Fosbury’s design for the new restaurant seeks to mediate between contemporary architectural codes and Venice’s historical memory, through a careful selection of materials and details that reference the city’s traditional places of conviviality. These include: wood paneling inspired by historic Venetian cafés; flooring that recalls the traditional mattonata of public spaces—enriched with glass fragments evoking terrazzo flooring; a linear bench in Istrian stone, salvaged from the restoration of the Arsenale’s Galeazze; and a pergola inspired by the mobile canopy of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
The exhibition Projecting Future Heritage: A Hong Kong Archive, one of the Collateral Events of the Architecture Biennale, is organized by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Biennale Foundation (HKIABF) in collaboration with the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, and in partnership with the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA).
Curated by Fai AU, Ying ZHOU, and Sunnie LAU, the exhibition is divided into two parts. In the courtyard of Campo della Tana, an observatory on the built environment of the contemporary city draws from the know-how of bamboo scaffolding, a construction technique widely used in Hong Kong and inherently linked to the circular economy. Also in the courtyard, short videos are projected, documenting Hong Kong’s current built environment. Inside the former warehouse, the exhibition presents a collection of building types, urban spaces, and infrastructures shaped during the city’s formative post-war decades. Though often considered obsolete and subject to demolition today, these structures are here reconsidered for their potential to be reused and reimagined.
Inspired by the theme of the 2025 Architecture Biennale and by Robert Smithson’s theory of “non-places”, the exhibition NON-Credo: Taiwan Intelligens of Precarity is curated by the National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) and hosted at the Palazzo delle Prigioni. A Collateral Event of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, the show examines Taiwan’s “non-beliefs” regarding TSMC’s microchips, high-speed development, and the relentless pursuit of efficiency—forces that are reshaping how the world operates in an increasingly globalized and geopolitically unstable context.
Through projects developed by teams of researchers, architects, designers, and a documentary filmmaker, the exhibition presents Taiwan’s built environment as a composition of localized clusters—contact zones that are digitally connected and democratically paradoxical. Taiwan Intelligens of Precarity identifies these aggregated worlds as a planetary front line of resistance against authoritarian autocracy and as models of adaptation to climate change.
>>> Must-see Pavilions at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale
Cover Image: SCAPE, "Cool Forest". © Marco Zorzanello, courtesy of La Biennale di Venezia
