Biennale: Space, Art and Architecture

The following is a collection of favourites. There were a wide ranging assortment of entries into the exhibition,

Hungarian Pavillion: Borderline Architecture.

This installation defines how the LINE rather than the HOUSE is the origin of the architectural idea, thus highlighting the primary state of architecture.

Hundreds of thousands of Pencils ranging in type and colour are strung at different heights on white string from the ceiling. The lines create different shapes, spaces and voids to walk through and experience. Very Cool! All the pencils will be donated to schools throughout 3rd world countries.

Canadian Pavillion: Hylozoic Ground

The project refers to "Hylozoism" the ancient belief that all matter has life. The exhibit creates an immersive, interactive environment made of tens of thousands of lightweight, digitally fabricated components fitted with meshed microprocessors and sensors. This was a very weird and intruiging installation, best explained by the project designer Phillip Beasley:

Cloudscapes: Transolar & Tetsuo Kondo Architects

This exhibit is based on the physical phenominon of saturated air (Or a cloud) Here visitors can experience a real cloud from below, above and within. A winding pathway works its way up through the cloud where your idea of spacial awareness is provoked.

Balancing Act: Anton Garcia-Abril & Ensamble Studio

This Exhibit is a play of balance. Two structural lines int he Longitudinal space os the Aresenal Warehouse Building which operate as a reagant to modify the original space. The seemingly impossible balancing act of the two enourmously proportioned conrete beams gives an uneasiness and disturbing  reading of the space.



Taichung Metropolitan Opera House:

Toyo Ito & Associates, Architects

This exhibition features the design process of the Taiching Metropolitan OPera House in Taiwan. This building, already under coinstruction features the concept of the "Emerging Grid". This consitutues a structural system which contains a network of horizontal and verticle tubes which allows for flexible spaces which resemble a catacombe of cave tunnels. The interior spaces this building will create are intensely beautiful. Looks like i need to plan a trip to Taiwan!

The display had a highly detailed model,  including imagery of a 1:10 scale model built of the main auditoria. A full set of working construction documents were available to see along with photographs of the construction site and pre-fabricated concrete structure.

Models: The good the bad and the ugly

Below are a series of images from around the biennale, featuring some of the hundreds of models found throughout the exhibition

The Biennale was a fantastic display of Art and Architecture from all around the world. The diversity of entries and looseness of the theme allowed each country to submit such a wide range of exhibits.

In total we spent around 12hours in the Biennale, and could have spent many more hours there. I would highly recommend to anyone, should they have the time, money and interest to visit the Venice Biennale for a fascinating, enlighting and enriching experience.