Architecture Biennale, awards to Bahrain, Holy See and Great Britain

The awards ceremony of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale saw the conferment of the main awards, with the Golden Lion for Best National Participation awarded to the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Golden Lion for Best Participation in the Group Exhibition awarded to Canal Café, and the Silver Lion for the promising participation in Calculating Empires by Kate Crawford and Vladan Joler. Special mentions were also awarded to the Holy See Pavilion for the Opera Aperta project, to the United Kingdom for the Geology of Britannic Repair project, and to numerous other exemplary projects. The awards, assigned by an international jury composed of Hans Ulrich Obrist, Paola Antonelli and Mpho Matsipa, celebrate architecture as a response to contemporary global challenges, from environmental sustainability to social justice.

The Golden Lion for Best National Participation went to the Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain, which presented the project "Canicola". The architecture of the Pavilion addresses the challenge of extreme heat, with passive cooling solutions inspired by local traditions, such as wind towers and shaded courtyards. The project, curated by Andrea Faraguna, impressed the jury with its ability to combine tradition and innovation in response to the difficult climatic conditions of the region.

A special mention was given to the Pavilion of the Holy See for the project "Opera Aperta". Curated by Marina Otero Verzier and Giovanna Zabotti, the project invites visitors to participate in a process of architectural and social regeneration, giving new life to a deconsecrated church through a practice of collective care and responsibility. The initiative has been defined as a “living work of care” that reflects on the importance of social justice and reparation.

The UK Pavilion received a special mention for the project "Geology of Britannic Repair", which explores the relationship between architecture and geology. Curated by Owen Hopkins, Kathryn Yusoff, Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi, the project reflects on the dynamics of extraction that have contributed to social and environmental inequalities, seeking new solutions to renew and repair the links between architecture and the land.

The Golden Lion for Best Participation in a Group Exhibition was awarded to the project "Canal Café" by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Natural Systems Utilities, Sodai, Aaron Betsky, and Davide Oldani. This project, exhibited at the Arsenale, imagines new ways of living on the water and offers a concrete contribution to the regeneration of Venice's public spaces, with a long-term vision that goes beyond the event itself.

The Silver Lion for Promising Participation was awarded to the project "Calculating Empires: A Genealogy of Technology and Power Since 1500" by Kate Crawford and Vladan Joler, presented in the Corderie dell'Arsenale. This project received recognition for its visual exploration of the interconnections between power, technology and colonialism, offering a deep analysis of modern infrastructures and their history.

Two special mentions went to significant projects in the Group Exhibition. Tosin Oshinowo’s “Alternative Urbanism: The Self-Organized Markets of Lagos” was recognized for its exploration of self-organized markets in Africa, while Boonserm Premthada’s “Elephant Chapel” was recognized for its use of biomaterials in building long-lasting and sustainable structures, such as the Chapel built from elephant dung.

The ceremony at Ca' Giustinian, presided over by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, president of the Venice Biennale, also saw the awarding of two Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement. The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement was conferred to philosopher Donna Haraway, while a special Golden Lion in memory was awarded to the recently deceased architect Italo Rota, in recognition of his fundamental contribution to contemporary architecture.