Venice Biennale Features Global Pavilions Exploring Architecture, Colonialism, Sustainability

At the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025, several national pavilions showcase innovative approaches to architecture that engage with history, culture, and the environment. Mexico City's ancient chinampas, small urban farms built on water, are highlighted for their sustainable agricultural practices amid climate change challenges. The British Pavilion, titled 'Geology of Britannic Repair,' explores the relationship between architecture, colonialism, and the earth through installations using natural materials like agricultural waste and clay, aiming to reimagine architectural practices marginalized by colonial histories. The US Pavilion presents 'PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity,' transforming a historic building with a large timber veranda designed as a communal space, emphasizing architecture as an experience fostering social connection. Additionally, the SOMBRA pavilion by MVRDV demonstrates kinetic, sun-responsive shading technology that operates without electronics, symbolizing a dynamic interaction between built form and natural forces. Together, these exhibits reflect a broader biennale theme of integrating natural, artificial, and collective dimensions in architecture while addressing sustainability, cultural heritage, and social engagement.