Venice Biennale of Architecture (in Italian Mostra di Architettura di Venezia) is an international exhibition of architecture from nations around the world, held in Venice, Italy, every other year. It was held on even years until 2018, but 2020 was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic shifting the calendar to uneven years. It is the architecture section under the overall Venice Biennale and was officially established in 1980, even though architecture had been a part of the Venice Art Biennale since 1968. The main agenda of the Architecture Biennale is to propose and showcase architectural solutions to contemporary societal, humanistic, and technological issues. Although leaning towards the academic side of architecture, the Biennale also provides an opportunity for local architects around the world to present new projects. The Biennale is separated into two main sections: The permanent, national pavilions in the Biennale Gardens as well as the Arsenale, which hosts projects from numerous nations under one roof.

Exhibitions

2023

The 18th Venice Architecture Biennale is curated by Lesley Lokko. The international architecture exhibition is entitled The Laboratory of the Future. Awards:

2021

Curated by Hashim Sarkis, The 17th Venice Architecture Biennale was entitled How will we live together? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it took place in 2021 instead of 2020. National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection) Awards

2018

The 16th International Architecture Exhibition was titled FREESPACE and was curated by Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara. National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection) Awards:

2016

The 15th International Architecture Exhibition, entitled Reporting from the Front was directed by Alejandro Aravena 28 May – 27 November. In his curation of the exhibition, Aravena foregrounded social housing, incremental housing, rural-urban relationships, the balance between technology and natural materials, and an attentiveness to manual labor and handicraft. Aravena invited, among others, Raphael Zuber, Herzog & de Meuron, Tadao Ando, Peter Zumthor, David Chipperfield, SANAA and Francis Kéré. National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection) Awards:

2014

The 14th International Architecture Exhibition: Fundamentals. Directed by Rem Koolhaas. 7 June – 23 November 2014. National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection) Awards:

2012

The 13th International Architecture Exhibition: Common Ground. Directed by David Chipperfield. 29 August – 25 November 2012. National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection) Awards:

2010

The 12th International Architecture Exhibition: People meet in architecture. Directed by Kazuyo Sejima. 29 August – 21 November 2010. Awards:

2008

The 11th International Architecture Exhibition: Out There: Architecture Beyond Building. Directed by Aaron Betsky. 14 September – 23 November 2008. National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection) Awards:

2006

The 10th International Architecture Exhibition: Cities, architecture and society. Directed by Ricky Burdett. 10 September – 19 November 2006. The collateral section City-Port was held in Palermo until January 14, 2007. The exhibition attracted over 130,000 visitors. Awards: National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection) ''After the Flood: Building on Higher Ground: Architectural responses to the August 2005 devastation in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast wrought by Hurricane Katrina. Curated by Christian Ditlev Bruun. Projects by Anderson+Anderson Architects and Eight Inc. were among the included projects. Photography for the exhibition by Michael Goodman. Graphic Design by Paula Kelly Design NYC. The exhibition traveled to Bangkok (2007), Panama City (2007), and Los Angeles (2008). The exhibition also marked the beginning of the international symposium series Sustainable Dialogues, which connected architects, city planners, and environmentalist from Southeast Asia, Central and South America with American architects in each region to exchange ideas and knowledge and propose solutions to issues of ecological disasters, global climate change, and sustainable architectural strategies. Collaborators included Global Green and Make it Right (founded by Brad Pitt).''

2004

The 9th International Architecture Exhibition: METAMORPH. Directed by Kurt W. Forster. 12 September – 7 November 2004. The exhibition attracted over 115,000 visitors. Awards: National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection)

2002

The 8th International Architecture Exhibition: NEXT. Directed by Deyan Sudjic. 8 September – 3 November 2002. The exhibition attracted over 100,000 visitors. Awards: National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection) Commissioner: Robert Ivy, Chief Executive Officer of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)

2000

The 7th International Architecture Exhibition: Less Aesthetics, More Ethics. Directed by Massimiliano Fuksas. 18 June – 29 October 2000. Awards: National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection)

1996

The 6th International Architecture Exhibition: Sensing the Future—The Architect as Seismograph. Directed by Hans Hollein. Awards: National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection)

1991

The 5th International Architecture Exhibition. Directed by Francesco Dal Co. 8 September – 6 October 1991. Awards: National pavilions, contributions and curators (selection)

1986

The 4th International Architecture Exhibition: Hendrik Petrus Berlage—Drawings. Directed by Aldo Rossi. 18 July – 28 September 1986. Villa Farsetti, Santa Maria di Sala.

1985

The 3rd International Architecture Exhibition: Progetto Venezia (international competition). Directed by Aldo Rossi. 20 July – 29 September 1985. Awards:

1981-82

The 2nd International Architecture Exhibition: Architecture in Islamic Countries. Directed by Paolo Portoghesi. 20 November 1981 – 6 January 1982.

1980

The 1st International Architecture Exhibition: The presence of the Past. Directed by Paolo Portoghesi. 27 July – 20 October 1980. Included the Strada Novissima exhibition at the Corderie dell'Arsenale, and exhibitions on Antonio Basile, the architect; The Banal Object. An Exhibition of Critics. An Exhibition of Young Architects. Homage to Gardella, Ridolfi and Johnson.

1979

Theatre of the World. The Dogana at the end of the Zattere, created by Aldo Rossi for the Architecture and Theatre Sections of the Biennale in occasion of the exhibition Venice and the Stage (winter 1979–80).

1978

Utopia and the Crisis of Anti-Nature. Architectural Intentions in Italy. Magazzini del Sale, Zattere. Director: Vittorio Gregotti.

1976

Werkbund 1907. The Origins of Design; Rationalism and Architecture in Italy during the fascist period; Europe-America, old city centre, suburbia; Ettore Sottsass, an Italian designer. Ca' Pesaro, San Lorenzo, Magazzini del Sale, Cini Foundation. Director. Vittorio Gregotti.

1975

On the subject of the Stucky Mill. Magazzini del Sale at the Zattere. Curated by the Visual Arts and Architecture Section of the Biennale, directed by Vittorio Gregotti.