Standout Pavilions: Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
This year's theme, Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.
At the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, Saudi's Pavilion entitled 'The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection', stands as an ode to collective architectural inquiry. Egypt's pavilion actively engages within a wider regional discourse examining architecture's capacity to confront pressing environmental and cultural challenges. Lebanon's pavilion, 'The Land Remembers', interrogates the ecological devastation wrought by ecocide, employing architectural narratives as a means of articulating pathways toward environmental remediation and cultural resilience. Oman's inaugural pavilion, ‘Traces', reinterprets the venerable communal Sablah, proposing a paradigmatic approach to adaptable, inclusive public space design that responds to evolving societal needs. Finally, Bahrain's 'Heatwave' pavilion addresses the urgent global phenomenon of extreme thermal conditions, exemplifying sustainable architectural interventions and passive cooling methodologies to mitigate climate-related impacts.
Kingdom of Bahrain
The Kingdom of Bahrain has been awarded Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale for its pavilion, 'Heatwave'. Curated by Andrea Faraguna and commissioned by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, the exhibition offers a grounded and urgent response to one of today's most pressing climate challenges: extreme heat.
The pavilion serves as a comprehensive, livable prototype, featuring a raised platform, a suspended ceiling, and a central support column— elements that collectively demonstrate innovative approaches to passive cooling tailored for real-time environmental conditions. Its architectural geometry functions not only as a spatial experience but also as an active climatic instrument, manipulating microclimates through strategic materiality and form.
Engineered for modularity and scalability, the Kingdom of Bahrain Pavilion envisions the broader application of these systems across various settings, especially in outdoor public spaces where vulnerability to extreme heat presents significant challenges.
Sultanate of Oman
The Sultanate of Oman made a significant debut at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, unveiling its inaugural national pavilion, titled 'Traces'. Curated by esteemed Omani architect Majeda Alhinai and commissioned by Sayyid Saeed bin Sultan bin Yarub Al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture, the pavilion is featured within the exhibition's overarching theme, "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective."
More than a national showcase, 'Traces' seeks to ignite a global dialogue on how communal architecture can address contemporary local and international challenges. It presents a visionary model for adaptable, inclusive public spaces- grounded in cultural heritage yet forward-looking in its design approach.
Oman's participation underscores its commitment to Vision 2040, an ambitious initiative aimed at fostering sustainable cultural growth and expanding international cultural engagement. This pavilion not only elevates Oman's architectural dialogue on the world stage but also signifies a strategic step toward long-term cultural exchange, innovation, and global collaboration.
Lebanon
The Lebanon Pavilion, entitled 'The Land Remembers', presents a compelling discourse at the intersection of ecology and architecture, compelling viewers to contemplate pressing environmental imperatives. Curated by the Collective for Architecture Lebanon (CAL), the installation introduces a fictional entity—the 'Ministry of Land Intelligence-positioned as an activist platform dedicated to restoring Lebanon's ravaged natural landscape. This conceptual ministry is subdivided into four departments, each addressing critical issues such as ecocide documentation, the preservation of endemic species, and ecological rehabilitation - thereby foregrounding a holistic approach to environmental stewardship through architectural thought.
The pavilion's architectural articulation embodies nature's resilience through innovative materiality: constructed from compressed soil bricks infused with wheat seeds, the installation embodies a living symbol of regeneration. Over a six-month period, as the seeds germinate, the structure will visibly transform, echoing themes of renewal and hope.
This poetic gesture intricately weaves Lebanon's historical reliance on agriculture and its memory into the fabric of contemporary architectural dialogue, elevating the discipline's potential as a catalyst for ecological and cultural resilience.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabia Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, entitled 'The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection', stands as an ode to collective architectural inquiry. Curated by Beatrice Leanza with assistant curator Sara Almutlaq, and executed by Syn Architects (Sara Alissa and Nojoud Alsudairi), the exhibition foregrounds the vital work of the Um Slaim Collective-an earnest exploration of Najdi vernacular architecture within Riyadh. This initiative elevates architecture beyond mere form, positioning it as a dynamic forge for collective learning and cultural resonance-an evolving spatial practice attuned to pressing social and environmental imperatives.
Framing this investigative ethos as a catalyst for reimagining urban fabric, neighborhood cohesion, and resourcefulness, ‘The Um Slaim School' aspires to be more than an exhibit; it is envisioned as a pedagogical platform shaping future inquiry. Post-Biennale, this initiative aims to forge new connections between vernacular craftsmanship and contemporary ecological and social challenges, laying the groundwork for educational programs and spatial practices that will continue to evolve within Riyadh's urban landscape. In doing so, it endeavors to deepen our understanding of architecture as a vital conduit for cultural continuity and innovative adaptation amid the complexities of the 21st century.
Egypt
Egypt unveils 'Let's Grasp the Mirage’, its national pavilion that offers an immersive and thought-provoking journey into sustainability, articulated through the evocative symbol of the Egyptian oasis.
Orchestrated by Salah Zikri, Ebrahim Zakaria, and Emad Fikry, and commissioned by Egypt's Ministry of Culture in collaboration with Accademia d'Egitto, this project delves into the intricate tension between preservation and progress. It aligns seamlessly with the Biennale's 2025 theme-"Intelligence. Natural. Artificial. Collective"— prompting reflections on the interconnectedness of these realms.
Positioned as a microcosm, the oasis embodies a resilient yet fragile ecosystem—a metaphor for the global pursuit of ecological harmony. In an era increasingly dominated by synthetic constructs and relentless development, this pavilion invites visitors to explore how innate natural wisdom, collective human insight, and technological innovation can converge to confront pressing environmental dilemmas. Through this lens, the oasis becomes a profound symbol of the delicate balance necessary for sustainable coexistence on a planetary scale.
'Let's Grasp the Mirage' links the local to the global, using the Egyptian oasis to explore sustainability, resource management, and architecture's role in balance. Integrating natural (desert ecosystems), artificial (efficient systems), and collective intelligence (cultural knowledge), the installation functions as both a reflective space and a catalyst for action.