SPACE July 2025 (No. 692)
Manameh Pavilion by Rashid Bin Shabib and others / ©Marco Zorzanello
‘Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.’: 2025 Venice Biennale | Main Exhibition
The theme proposed by curator Carlo Ratti for the 2025 Venice Biennale is ‘Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.’ He argues that if the architecture of the ‘primitive hut’, designed to ‘respond’ to nature’s threats, has moved towards ‘mitigation’ in the era of the climate crisis, then today, when environmental crisis is a decisive point for us all, it is time for architecture to demonstrate ‘adaptation’ to the environment. This means we need to prioritise not only designs that reduce environmental impact, but achieve fundamentally different design methods. He introduces this new way of thinking by dividing the theme into ‘Natural Intelligence’, ‘Artificial Intelligence’, and ‘Collective Intelligence’, and he emphasises architecture-centred optimism and collaboration across generations, disciplines, and fields of expertise. This inclusive manner is evident not only in the exhibits, but also in the curatorial methods and practices as a whole. Ratti organised the main exhibition, featuring over 750 participants and around 300 works, through an open call. He also collaborated with Arup, a structural engineering firm, to draft ‘A Circular Economy Manifesto’ to ensure the Biennale’s sustainability. During the exhibition, there will also be a programme of talks called ‘GENS’ featuring figures from various fields, such as design and film. This helps to explain why the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Donna Haraway, not an architect but a biologist and feminist. With this as background to our line of questioning, let us explore the main exhibition.
SpaceSuits.Us: A Case for Ultra Thin Adjustments by Emily Ezquerro, Charles Kim and others / ©Luca Capuano&nb...
