Latest news with #VeniceArchitectureBiennale
The National
3 days ago
- General
- The National
Gaza shelters reimagined as memorials and study spaces at Venice Architecture Biennale
Stairwells often take on a new function during war and natural disasters. These in-between spaces – typically designed to merely connect one floor to another – become something else entirely in moments of crisis. Structurally resilient and tucked away from exposed facades, they serve as improvised shelters where people gather in hope, fear and resilience. Their mundane utility is transformed. In the face of destruction, stairwells become spaces where life clings on. Time Reclaiming Structures, a project by Dima Srouji and Piero Tomassoni that is being highlighted at Venice Architecture Biennale, draws inspiration from these spaces to create a series of structures that are as much a dedication to Gaza 's heritage as they are shelters, study spaces and memorials. Stairs are a central component of their design. 'Anyone that has experienced war will have this intimate relationship with the architecture of a staircase,' Srouji says. 'What's interesting about it is that the form of a staircase is not exactly what saves you. It's more the intimacy, the magic that starts to happen in that space during hours of shelter where you're reading under the staircase with your dad, or doing your homework.' Gaza Shelters, the first iteration of Time Reclaiming Structures, reflects these nuances. At first glance, the structures proposed in the project initially seem simple in their design. Rectangular in shape, comprising no more than four walls and a roof, they are adjoined by a moveable staircase. Yet, the central structures as well as their staircases have been designed with more than one purpose. The structures are each dedicated to a branch of knowledge that are threatened by Israel's attack on Gaza. These include spiritual, medical, environmental, artisanal, architectural, culinary studies. The roofs of these rectangular structures are engraved with heritage sites in the Palestinian enclave. The ceilings underneath feature the topographies of the Strip's natural terrains. The walls display artefacts, archeological finds, photographs and objects reflecting the purpose of the structure. The stairs also function as a library and study space. 'Each one focuses on a different branch of knowledge,' Srouji says. She offers the one dedicated to the medical as an example, saying it is 'one of the most urgent spheres to think about.' The proposed structure would contain films about Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, the Palestinian surgeon who has repeatedly travelled to his homeland from the UK to help those affected by the cyclical Israeli onslaught. It would also include research by US academic Jasbir Puar, whose work delves into the maiming of Palestinian men and the use of prosthetics. 'You'll also see work on the history of gauze, because it was first invented in Gaza and the word gauze is actually derived from Gaza,' Srouji says. Meanwhile, the heritage sites engraved on the roofs, and which are viewable by climbing the stairs, are informed by Srouji's own work in archeological sites in collaboration with The Palestinian Museum. Highlighted sites include the Great Omari Mosque, Byzantine Church of Jabalia, the Church of Saint Porphyrius, all of which have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli air strikes. 'It also includes some of the tunnel structures as well and which are archaeological features,' Srouji says. 'People don't realise this, but there's the St Helena Tunnel that is 4000 years old. It used to connect downtown central Gaza to historic Gaza to the coast. The tunnels are also archeological heritage sites. They're not just sites of resistance.' Time Reclaiming Structures was inspired both by the biennale's theme of collective knowledge, as well as global geopolitical realities – chief among them the war in Gaza. The structures make a profound argument about memory, attention and empathy in the age of crisis. The spaces that come as part of the project are not meant to only reclaim heritage sites, but also time. 'The title was probably the hardest part of the project for us,' Srouji says. 'Trying to configure, not just what's happening in Gaza in terms of genocide, but also other things the world is dealing with today can be a point of empathy and solidarity for Palestine. That's where Piero's research comes in, in terms of slowing down time, and brings some capacity for empathy.' 'Humans are now in a condition of almost inability to take the necessary time to understand the history that they are living,' Tomassoni adds. 'Because there is no time for the deep thinking that is required to elaborate a philosophical or historical understanding of the past but also of the present. If we lose that then we are not going to be able to resolve any of our problems.' This is how the idea behind Time Reclaiming Structured emerged, aiming to create forms that act as shelters as well as contemplative spaces – places that protect, isolate and allow for reflection amid chaos. 'It can be applied to Gaza right now but also a number of other places,' Tomassoni says. 'The structure is partially monumental when seen from outside. But then when you go inside, it becomes small gallery, museum or chapel.' Srouji and Tomassoni were initially aiming to build three of the structures for the Venice Biennale, however when they found out the Arsenale was the only space that would be showcasing projects unaffiliated with National Pavilions, they knew they wouldn't have the opportunity to build any of them for the event. Instead, they decided to feature all the structures as renders within the Arsenale exhibition space. However, the duo are still keen on developing the project and building them in stone, preferably limestone, given its connotations to Palestine. 'We see this as the first iteration of Time Reclaiming Structures, which could go in many directions' Tomassoni says. 'It could also be the first step to building a Palestinian Pavilion, for example.'
Time Out
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Paris is getting a huge new art museum this year
The Cartier Foundation, a contemporary art gallery that's been nestled in Paris 's 14th arrondissement for the last 30 years, is opening a brand-new home in a much bigger location. It's set to be the latest addition to the French capital's already dizzyingly impressive arts and culture scene. Slated to open in October, the contemporary art centre's new branch will be located at 2, place du Palais-Royal, opposite the Louvre and close to the Ministry of Culture. Occupying a 8,500-square-metre space, it will become the largest private art centre in Paris. The building dates back to 1852, and while the exterior has retained its charming original character, the interior has been redesigned by renowned French architect Jean Nouvel, who is also the mastermind behind the museum's current location on Boulevard Raspail. Half of the space will be dedicated to exhibitions, allowing the foundation to exhibit its own collection of more than 2,500 works for the first time. The other half will comprise a restaurant, a bookshop, an auditorium and offices, which will all be designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel. The new space promises five new 'mobile platforms', according to En Vols, which are 'fully adaptable' and will 'radically transform the traditional museum experience'. Intriguing, right? 'Exposition Générale' will be the inaugural exhibition, showcasing nearly 600 works that showcase the foundation's legacy from 1984 to today. The art centre is set to open on October 25, 2025. In the meantime, you can sneak a preview of the Fondation at the Venice Architecture Biennale, where some of the museum's architectural concepts will be on display at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini until September 14.
DW
26-05-2025
- General
- DW
Venice Architecture Biennale adapts to changed world – DW – 05/24/2025
05/24/2025 May 24, 2025 The focus is on climate change at the Venice Architecture Biennale, and adaptation is the new buzzword. How do we design buildings for a world with droughts, floods and heat waves? The biennale provides answers.
DW
23-05-2025
- General
- DW
Venice Architecture Biennale: Building for a changed world – DW – 05/23/2025
05/23/2025 May 23, 2025 At the Venice Architecture Biennale, the focus is on climate change. Adaptation is the new buzzword. How do we design buildings for a world with droughts, floods and heatwaves? The Biennale provides answers.
Hypebeast
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hypebeast
LS Gomma Fills a Venetian Palazzo With Rubberized Furniture
Paris-based designerLS Gommahas revealed a series of new works in Venice, in a show titled 'Heavy Reticello'.Presented by London'sMax Radford Gallery, the exhibition opened alongside the beginning of the Venice Architecture Biennale. Its title comes from the reticello patterns seen in lacework and glassblowing, but in LS Gomma's work, these types of grids are created through the use of metal mesh, which is then covered in rubber material. 'The connection between LS Gomma's practice and some of that of the Murano glassworks meant that showing a body of their works felt like the natural decision for what we might exhibit,' says London-based Radford. Opening in time for the wider Venice Biennale, the show will take place in and around the Palazzo Contarini della Porta di Ferro, and will feature seating and lighting crafted from the rubber and metal mesh material combination the Paris-based designer has become known for.His chairs, bench, and lights set to be displayed at the show have all been hand-crafted in the designer's studio. 'They embrace a similar lattice-like complexity, suggesting a heavy, tactile version of the once ethereal technique. In this way, 'Heavy Reticello' becomes both homage and evolution—translating historical craftsmanship into a bold material language rooted in experimentation and physicality,' the gallery adds. Heavy Reticello was on show until May 18. The furniture is now available to purchase through the gallery, with prices available on request.
