Alessandro Giulio
INTRODUCTION
In all honesty, there is so much I could talk about on the subject of this year’s 13th annual Venice Architecture Biennale. The entire experience was thought-provoking and awe-inspiring, to say the least. Lucky for us students, we had heard this was the first successful ‘architecture’ Biennale in a long time.This experience of the Biennale proved to be an advantageous excursion through architectural thought and execution; a valuable experience. The Venice Biennale made a lasting impression on me and I wish to continue to attend in the coming years, bringing along friends and family.
L’ARSENALE di VENEZIA
The main space for the exhibitions of the Venice Biennale take place in the historic Venetian Arsenale. Although impressively restored and maintained today, the Arsenale dates back to the 12th century where it was one of several buildings that comprised the complex of Venice’s state-owned shipyards and armories. The Arsenale, as used by the Venice Biennale 2012, featured a long one-way circulation from start to finish. I found gentle circulation to be a pleasing transition between exhibits. This allowed for the experience to feel more like an architectural journey as oppose to what we are usually confronted with in museums; arbitrary mixes of ‘wandering’ and colliding circulations. Upon entering the Arsenale stood the Biennale’s exhibition title, Common Ground along a blank wall. Beyond this wall, the Arsenale would reveal itself slowly, room by room. Each room hosted the best work by notable contemporary architects and was truly an incredible display of great thought and reasoning with the accompaniment of drawings, sketches, models and ‘architectural project artifacts’. I felt that the time we were given at the Arsenale, to basically walk through, was the most fruitful of visits we took in Venice. At my own leisure, I examined everything. In short, the passage along the Arsenale, surrounded by so much inspiring work, was an overwhelming experience.
I GIARDINI della BIENNALE
The Giardini della Biennale, was a complete surprise to me. I had never heard of the Giardini before and was of course excited to take the visit when Giuditta handed us the itinerary. The Giardini was an incredibly powerful experience. Apart from the lush waterside landscape, the pavilions stood clear in the locations of the Giardini. With nearly 30 nations participating this year in the Giardini, the amount of national work (and pride) was inspiring. Each of the nations have built their pavilions over time and for each year Biennale year, the pavilions are refitted to match their exhibitions demand. The severity and willingness of each nation to showcase their greatest work was most exhilarating. Having studied the World’s Fairs of the past in various classes, the Giardini was the closest experience to such international showcases of leading works of architecture. It was really amazing to have been exposed to so much progressive thinking.
INTRODUCTION
In all honesty, there is so much I could talk about on the subject of this year’s 13th annual Venice Architecture Biennale. The entire experience was thought-provoking and awe-inspiring, to say the least. Lucky for us students, we had heard this was the first successful ‘architecture’ Biennale in a long time.This experience of the Biennale proved to be an advantageous excursion through architectural thought and execution; a valuable experience. The Venice Biennale made a lasting impression on me and I wish to continue to attend in the coming years, bringing along friends and family.
L’ARSENALE di VENEZIA
The main space for the exhibitions of the Venice Biennale take place in the historic Venetian Arsenale. Although impressively restored and maintained today, the Arsenale dates back to the 12th century where it was one of several buildings that comprised the complex of Venice’s state-owned shipyards and armories. The Arsenale, as used by the Venice Biennale 2012, featured a long one-way circulation from start to finish. I found gentle circulation to be a pleasing transition between exhibits. This allowed for the experience to feel more like an architectural journey as oppose to what we are usually confronted with in museums; arbitrary mixes of ‘wandering’ and colliding circulations. Upon entering the Arsenale stood the Biennale’s exhibition title, Common Ground along a blank wall. Beyond this wall, the Arsenale would reveal itself slowly, room by room. Each room hosted the best work by notable contemporary architects and was truly an incredible display of great thought and reasoning with the accompaniment of drawings, sketches, models and ‘architectural project artifacts’. I felt that the time we were given at the Arsenale, to basically walk through, was the most fruitful of visits we took in Venice. At my own leisure, I examined everything. In short, the passage along the Arsenale, surrounded by so much inspiring work, was an overwhelming experience.
I GIARDINI della BIENNALE
The Giardini della Biennale, was a complete surprise to me. I had never heard of the Giardini before and was of course excited to take the visit when Giuditta handed us the itinerary. The Giardini was an incredibly powerful experience. Apart from the lush waterside landscape, the pavilions stood clear in the locations of the Giardini. With nearly 30 nations participating this year in the Giardini, the amount of national work (and pride) was inspiring. Each of the nations have built their pavilions over time and for each year Biennale year, the pavilions are refitted to match their exhibitions demand. The severity and willingness of each nation to showcase their greatest work was most exhilarating. Having studied the World’s Fairs of the past in various classes, the Giardini was the closest experience to such international showcases of leading works of architecture. It was really amazing to have been exposed to so much progressive thinking.
