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Korea Herald
13-05-2025
- General
- Korea Herald
Architects across globe urge climate action at Venice Biennale
Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 brings together like-minded architects, engineers, artists proposing indigenous, nature-friendly solutions VENICE, Italy — Visitors confront darkness in a room filled with suspended air conditioners and water pools; the uncomfortable, stuffy and humid environment alerts people to the issues at stake without saying a word. The installation 'The Third Paradise Perspective' at the Venice Biennale 2025 calls for collective responsibility and action. 'Architecture has always been a response to climate — an act of shelter, survival and optimism. From the first primitive huts to the submerged foundations of Venice, human design has evolved in dialogue with nature. Today, that evolution is no longer a choice but a necessity: climate change is not a future scenario, but a present reality,' the text introducing the exhibition states Venice Biennale's 19th international architecture exhibition kicked off Thursday across Venice with the overarching theme of 'Intelligence. Natural. Artificial. Collective,' led by curator Carlo Ratti. The biennale's main exhibition at the Arsenale was joined by more than 750 architects, engineers, artists and climate scientists, marking the largest number of participants ever for a main exhibition. Curating on such a large scale was possible through the curatorial team's open call for participants who share similar concerns, according to the organizer. The Golden Lion award for the best national participation went to the Kingdom of Bahrain, one of the 66 national pavilions presented at the biennale. The national pavilion offered a viable proposal for extreme heat conditions, using the traditional passive cooling methods typical of the region and reminiscent of wind towers used in hot climates such as the Kingdom of Bahrain. 'Architecture must address the dual challenges of environmental resilience and sustainability. The indigenous solution can be deployed in public spaces and in locations where people must live and work outdoors in conditions of extreme heat,' the designers of the pavilion, led by curator Andrea Faraguna, explained. The South Korean exhibition "Little Toad Little Toad: Unbuilding Pavilion," curated by the Curating Architecture Collective, took its inspiration from the architecture of the space itself — how it was built, preserving the trees around the space and even their roots. South Korea's pavilion was constructed in the Giardini in 1995 and is the last permanent national pavilion built. 'The balcony tree was here in the corner of the space, designated for preservation during the design of the Korean Pavilion. The archival records of the pavilion show that the architects had to come up with a design to embrace the tree, which has since died and been removed," curator Chung Da-young told the press. The Spain Pavilion introduced projects by 16 studios that emphasize local, regenerative and low-carbon materials, naming the presentation "Architectures for Territorial Equilibrium." "Every time we construct a space, we deconstruct another elsewhere. Building and territory are thus intimately connected through a material bond. It is the responsibility of architects to ensure that this bond is a positive one," the text on the wall at the national pavilion reads. Qatar Museums showcased a two-part exhibition at the Giardini on the site of the future Qatar Pavilion and the ACP-Palazzo Franchetti located near the Accademia Bridge, exploring the architecture of the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia from the mid-20th century to today. 'As we continue to shape a cultural landscape of dialogue and exchange, this exhibition serves as a testament to Qatar's role in fostering a deeper understanding of our diverse architectural heritage,' said Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who serves as chair of Qatar Museums and is the daughter of Qatar's former ruling emir, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Along with the main exhibition and national pavilions, various exhibitions coincide with the biennale, bringing together renowned architects from around the world. The exhibition 'For All That Breathes on Earth: Jung Youngsun and Collaborators' at the SMAC San Marco Art Center marked one of the inaugural shows at the newly opened arts center at the heart of the Piazza San Marco. The exhibition centers on the projects by Jung Young-sun, a first-generation contemporary landscape architect and the first woman licensed as a land development engineer in Korea. It shows how the 84-year-old landscape architect advocated for resilience and sustainability in landscape design in collaboration with architects, biologists and urban planners. 'A lot of designers and landscape architects, they are trying to show their design a lot, but Jung's design is somehow quiet and natural,' said Pritzker Prize-winning British architect David Chipperfield, who appeared at the exhibition and collaborated with Jung in the Amorepacific Headquarters project in Seoul. The British architect restored the Procuratie, three connected buildings along the perimeter of the plaza, which now leases the space to the SMAC, and comprises 16 galleries. The design of another Pritzker laureate, French architect Jean Nouvel, for the new Foundation Cartier was also unveiled in Venice. It is expected to open in fall 2025.
Korea Herald
09-05-2025
- General
- Korea Herald
Embrace your surroundings: Korean Pavilion opens anew at Venice Biennale
The Korean Pavilion marks its 30th anniversary as the last permanent national pavilion at the Giardini VENICE, Italy -- Sometimes it seems easier to just demolish an old structure and build a new one. Such an approach to urban development is prevalent in some countries -- particularly in South Korea, where people expect that the reconstruction of apartment buildings will raise their property values. But this attitude often overlooks the value of the legacy a space may have accumulated over decades and fails to respect the environment around the space. This was the idea of the Curating Architecture Collective, the group who curated the ongoing exhibition of the Korean Pavilion at the Giardini of the Venice Biennale. The pavilion, built in 1995, is the last permanent pavilion built at the site. The Curating Architecture Collective consists of Kim Hee-jung, Jung Sung-kyu and lead curator Chung Da-hyoung. 'The pavilion faced some challenges when it was built, such as preserving the trees around the space, even their roots,' said curator Chung, walking along the path around the national pavilion surrounded by trees reminiscent of a dense forest. The sound of crickets is projected through the space -- the idea of artist and architect Young Ye-na. 'The balcony tree was here in the corner of the space, designated for preservation during the design of the Korean Pavilion. The archival records of the pavilion show that the architects had to come up with a design to embrace the tree, which has since died and been removed," the curator said. The current shape of the Korean Pavilion, featuring an irregular, wave-like wall, shows how it embraces nature, Chung continued, in a design by Italian architect Franco Mancuso and Korean architect Kim Seok-chul. To preserve the terrain and the tree roots, following the city's guidelines, the pavilion was built on micropiles slightly elevated above the ground. Artist Young Ye-na worked on the space underneath the pavilion, summoning imaginary ancient guardians. The fictional creatures, which represent the primordial history of the Korean Pavilion, are installed beneath the pavilion's piloti-supported space in a century-old structure that was once used as a restroom before it became part of the pavilion. Inside the pavilion echoes the traditional Korean children's song 'Little Toad, Little Toad,' which children sing when they make little houses from earth. The lyrics go: 'Little toad, little toad, give me your old home, I will give you a new one … your house is burning down, bring some buckets here, so I can build your home.' Inspired by the song, the exhibition was titled 'Little Toad, Little Toad: Unbuilding Pavilion." 'One day the song came to mind, and I thought it had a narrative similar to what we wanted to deliver at the exhibition -- architects who need to bring solutions to the table when the world faces challenges such as the climate crisis,' Chung said, adding that the theme of the exhibition aligns with the pavilion's architectural approach, which emphasizes respect for nature. Architect Park Hee-chan made the most of the environment surrounding the pavilion for a group of works titled 'Time for Trees,' which explores the relationship between the pavilion and its trees. Facing the glass wall of the pavilion, the work 'Shadow Caster' is a fabric screen that captures the trees' shadows. 'I often heard that the Korean Pavilion is a difficult space to stage exhibitions in compared to other national pavilions that are more like white cubes. Compared to others, the Korean Pavilion has inevitably experienced some challenges when it comes to curating works as it is affected by its surrounding environment such as the light that comes through the glass wall and the shape of the space,' Park said. On the rooftop is architect Kim Hyun-jong's 'New Voyage,' an installation that resembles a ship and its sails. Overlooking the Adriatic Sea, the rooftop had been left unused for exhibitions due to its structural challenges. 'The pavilion is located at the highest elevation in the Giardini, overlooking the sea and trees. I wanted to explore the space, which has been left unused,' the architect said. "I came up with the ship and sails as Venice and Korea have historically relied on ships as important means of exchange with other countries.' A cat named Mucca that has lived around the pavilion since 2018 is part of the embroidery work 'Overwriting, Overriding' by architect Lee Dammy. It summons the hidden entities around the pavilion with stories surrounding the locust tree, which stands as a guardian of the Korean Pavilion, and Mucca, a cat who comes into the pavilion to rest on the woven embroidered work. The Venice Biennale 2025 returned with its architecture exhibition on Thursday under the overarching theme of 'Intelligence. Natural. Artificial. Collective,' curated by architect and engineer Carlo Ratii, and bringing together more than 750 architects, artists and engineers. The biennale runs through Nov. 23.
Korea Herald
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'Little toad, little toad,' Venice Biennale's Korean Pavilion to explore rebirth
2025 marks 30th anniversary of Korean Pavilion As the Korean Pavilion marks its 30th anniversary this year since its construction in the Giardini, the waterfront park that serves as the main venue of the Venice Biennale, curators, artists and architects are set to gather at the site to reflect on the past and future of the national pavilion and beyond, as Venice Biennale faces many changes. The most prestigious international art and architecture biennale takes place every year, rotating between art and architecture. Venice Biennale 2025 will return for the architecture exhibition from May to November with the overarching concept of 'Intelligence. Natural. Artificial. Collective,' with its main architecture exhibition curated by architect and engineer Carlo Ratii. The Korean Pavilion will tackle the history of the national pavilion this year, using a metaphor from a traditional Korean children's song 'Little Toad, Little Toad,' commonly sung by kids as they make soil houses. 'The song's lyrics talk about a cycle of how a house is regenerated with the words of 'old house and new house.' We related the song to the concept of the past and future of the Korean Pavilion and Venice Biennale. The biennale itself is also going through many changes, such as climate crisis,' said Chung Da-young one of the directors of the Korean Pavilion. Climate change is an existential threat to Venice, due to the rising sea level's effect on the island city. The exhibition at the Korean Pavilion will be curated by the Curating Architecture Collective that consists of Chung, Kim Hee-jung and Jung Sung-kyu. Four architects and artists will show works at the national pavilion: Kim Hyun-jong of Alelier KHJ, Park Hee-chan of Studio Heech, Yang Ye-na of Plastique Fantastique and Lee Da-mi of Flora and Fauna. The Korean Pavilion's presentation will be based on thorough research of the 30-year-old national pavilion located in the corner of the Giardini. The research is being conducting thoroughly on the condition of not disturbing existing trees and topography. The collective curators will tackle how the national pavilion reflects respect to nature in an architectural approach. The glass-and-steel structure of the Korean Pavilion was designed in a collaboration of Korean architect Kim Seok-chul and Venice's own Franco Mancuso.
