la Biennale di Venezia 13th International Architecture Exhibition ...

la Biennale di Venezia
13 th International Architecture Exhibition
Common Ground
Introduction by Paolo Baratta, President of la Biennale di Venezia
The Exhibition of Resonances
Civil society is made up of individuals and institutions, and these do not always seem capable of
identifying the requirements for organizing the space we live in. They are often unable to explore
the potential that architecture offers, unable to look at or consider the possible new, the possible
different. On the other hand, look at the world of architects: they have too often been asked to
construct objects that would be akin to a scream in the midst of mediocrity, to design buildings
that would astonish and attract attention because of their communicative effect, thinking in this
way that they have crafted a foil against the mediocrity of other building and urban developments.
Not by chance architects were in the past entrusted with the creation of celebratory works such as
opera theaters, large museums, banks’ headquarters, and luxury hotels in exotic countries. We
have used these architects as if they were celebrity pastry chefs who are being asked to create
stunning wedding cakes. For this reason the public now increasingly considers them as the lords
of the feast, capable of offering us something sensational but that has nothing to do with the
organization of individual or civil life.
In order to mend this fracture, la Biennale can make its contribution primarily by posing these as
its themes. While not denying that there is a problem in the relationship between architecture and
ecology, architecture and technology, and architecture and town planning, the crux is to mend the
fracture between architecture and civil society. From Aaron Betsky’s provocation, according to
which the fabricated or built object is the tomb of architecture (Architecture beyond building, as a
provocative maxim, was not entirely understood), to Kazuyo Sejima, who considers architecture
through the language of its society, and erects works whose message is the absence of hierarchies
and respect for function, obtained through transparency and simplicity of form (People meet in
architecture emphasized precisely the fact that architecture is the place where people meet, live,
and act). It is only a short step from here to Common Ground, this year’s theme, but in the same
direction: going back to talking about architecture to help architects emerge from the crisis of
identity they are going through, and at the same time offering the public a chance to look inside
architecture, make it familiar and discover that something can be asked of it, that something
different is possible, that we are not condemned to passive acceptance.
This year there will be thoughts and reflections, ideas and conflicts. This conception of the
exhibition inevitably provokes a modification not only in the relationship between architect and
curator, but also a change in the approach of the architects called upon to work out their
participation. The exhibition thus becomes a space in which they realize an idea and a system of
relations between architecture of both past and present, whereby that which is exhibited is
reciprocally valued. This is an important innovation in the history of architecture exhibitions.
Unlike the past, when each architect or artist was given a space, thus individualizing their
participation, this year there will mainly be exhibition rooms filled with works by different
architects rather than celebrations of single works.

This year’s will be an exhibition made up of resonances, where the irrevocable relationship
between architecture, space, and town planning will re-emerge from the notes of the resonance.
One sees, for example, the interest of the architects taking part in the city, with particular attention
paid to the recovery of existing buildings and the upgrading of urban spaces: Kazuyo Sejima
herself, who formulated the exhibition she directed on the work of individual architects, is taking
part this year with an installation whose theme is the reconstruction of Mijato-jima island, which
was destroyed by the tsunami. Or one looks to those participants who have drawn inspiration
from the close link with past masters, remote or recent (Toshiko Mori with Carlo Scarpa and
Piranesi, FAT and Andrea Palladio, the San Rocco “world of references,” and so forth), or
instigated associations with other grand contemporary colleagues (Grafton Architects and Paulo
Mendes da Rocha, the Ruta del Peregrino grouping, Kenneth Frampton and Steven Holl, Gort
Scott and Renzo Piano…).
Or, again, one looks to built architecture, from full scale reconstructions of existing buildings
(Anupama Kundoo, who literally transported craft techniques and materials from India to the
Corderie at the Arsenale) to the fluidity of forms and spaces that Zaha Hadid managed to make
emerge from intricate balances of structural forces; from the materialization of the concept of
architectural and cultural heritage as a basis “for the search for and construction of new realities”
made by Francisco and Manuel Aires Mateus (who were inspired by the mighty architecture of the
Gaggiandre at the Arsenale), through to the structures arising out of the association of Alvaro Siza
Vieira and Eduardo Souto de Moura, which perfectly show how this exhibition echoes and
expands a precise exemplification made by Bice Curiger (director of the 54 th Art Biennale), which
she called para pavilions.
The evolution of the exhibition is in step with that of the public, which not only increases
numerically but seems more and more qualitatively important. This is thanks to la Biennale’s
initiatives, devised to make the 13th International Architecture Exhibition a reference point for
new generations, who must be given room for verification and comparison that is not only
habitual communication but a place enriched with new stimuli. In order to emphasize the nature
of la Biennale as a place of research and enquiry, this year more than sixty Italian and foreign
Faculties of Architecture will take part in the 13th International Architecture Exhibition thanks to a
project we have called the Biennale Sessions. Each university will bring about fifty students and
teachers to spend three days with all the possible facilities, to look at proposals from the world
over and organize a seminar. I hope that this will function as a mainspring to make young people
realize that one cannot not participate. The exhibition will consolidate this action as the most
significant international moment in the field of architecture.
My thanks go the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, who, despite these difficult
times for public finances, have maintained their decisive support; the territorial Institutions who
have in various ways given their support to la Biennale; the City of Venice; and the Veneto Region.
We would also like to extend our thanks to the different Authorities who have been involved and
displayed an interest in the structures within which our exhibition has operated—from the
Ministry of Defense to Venice’s Superintendents. A special thanks also goes to the sponsors, who
have offered their crucial help, and to all those who have contributed to the success of each
individual participation; a warm welcome must also be extended to all our visitors! And, finally,
our heartfelt thanks also go to David Chipperfield, his staff, and la Biennale’s operative structures,
who have all contributed to the forging of yet another masterpiece.

la Biennale di Venezia
13 th International Architecture Exhibition
Common Ground
Venice (Giardini and Arsenale), August 29 th – November 25 th 2012
Preview August 27 th and 28 th 2012 (hours 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
Awards and Inauguration ceremony:
Wednesday August 29 th at 11 a.m (Giardini)
Venice, August 27 th , 2012 - The 13 th International Architecture Exhibition entitled Common
Ground, directed by David Chipperfield and organized by la Biennale di Venezia chaired by
Paolo Baratta, will open to the public from Wednesday August 29 th until Sunday November 25 th
2012, at the Giardini della Biennale and at the Arsenale. The Preview will take place on August
27 th and 28 th , the awards and inauguration ceremony will be held on Wednesday August 29 th ,
2012 at Giardini
The 13 th Exhibition has arisen and developed from the path of research that la Biennale di Venezia
carries out in the field of architecture, which in turn has made la Biennale a major event over the
years. After a series of editions put in the hands of critics and historians and after the last edition
directed by Kazuyo Sejima, the first woman to direct la Biennale of Architecture, this year it has
been given to the hands of an architect, the English David Chipperfield, “a person - said President
Paolo Baratta - who entertains a very intense vision of architecture as practice”.
The Exhibition designed by Chipperfield is spread over 10.000 square meters in a path from the
Central Pavilion at the Giardini to the Arsenale. It comprises 69 projects made by architects,
photographers, artists, critics and scholars. Many have responded to the invitation of the Director
with original proposals and installations expressly created for this Biennale, involving other
colleagues with whom they share a Common Ground in their projects. There will be a total of 119
participants.
“With this year’s theme, Common Ground, we go back to talking about architecture – explains
Paolo Baratta - to help architects emerge from the crisis of identity they are going through, and at
the same time offering the public a chance to look inside architecture, make it familiar and
discover that something can be asked of it, that something different is possible, that we are not
condemned to passive acceptance.” Civil society is made up of individuals and institutions. These
do not always seem capable of identifying the requirements for organizing the space we live in. In
order to mend this fracture, la Biennale can make its contribution primarily by posing these as
its themes. While not denying that there is a problem in the relationship between architecture and
ecology, architecture and technology, and architecture and town planning, the crux is to mend the
fracture between architecture and civil society.”
David Chipperfield clarifies that he chose this theme “to encourage my colleagues to react against
the prevalent professional and cultural tendencies of our time that place such emphasis on
individual and isolated actions. I encouraged them instead to demonstrate the importance of
influence and of the continuity of cultural endeavour, to illustrate common and shared ideas that
form the basis of an architectural culture“.

“Italy remains the spiritual home of architecture – adds Chipperfield. Here we can fully
understand the importance of buildings not as individual spectacles but as the manifestations
of collective values and as the settings for daily life. This tangible sense of context and history
remind us that our built world is a testament to the continuous evolution of architectural language
and critical to our understanding of the world around us. With this in mind, I was inspired to
direct this Biennale towards concerns of continuity, context and memory, towards shared
influences and expectations, and to address the apparent lack of understanding that exists
between the profession and society.”
For President Baratta “Chipperfield’s exhibition is made up of resonances, where the irrevocable
relationship between architecture, space, and town planning will re-emerge from the notes of the
resonance”. The President invites one to look at “the interest of the architects taking part in the
city, with particular attention paid to the recovery of existing buildings and the upgrading of
urban spaces; or one looks to those participants who have drawn inspiration from the close link
with past masters, remote or recent, or instigated associations with other grand contemporary
colleagues.” Baratta suggests to try the “built architecture, from full scale reconstructions of
existing buildings to the emerge from intricate balances of structural forces; from the
materialization of the concept of architectural and cultural heritage as a basis « for the search for
and construction of new realities», through to the structures arising out of the association of
Álvaro Siza Vieira and Eduardo Souto de Moura.”
“This conception of the exhibition is an important innovation in the history of architecture
exhibitions – concludes Baratta – because inevitably provokes a modification not only in the
relationship between architect and curator, but also a change in the approach of the architects
called upon to work out their participation. The exhibition thus becomes a space in which they
realize an idea and a system of relations between architecture of both past and present, whereby
that which is exhibited is reciprocally valued.”
The 13 th Exhibition will be complemented by 55 National Participations organized, as usual, in the
Pavilions at the Giardini, at the Arsenale and in the city of Venice. Four nations will be
participating for the first time: Angola, the Republic of Kosovo, Kuwait and Peru. Argentina will
exhibit for the first time in its own pavilion in the space newly renovated of the Sale d’Armi at the
Arsenale.
The Italian Pavilion at the Arsenale will be organized by the Ministry for the Cultural Heritage
and Activities together with PaBAAC – the General Direction for the Landscape, Fine Arts,
Architecture and Contemporary Art, is curated by Luca Zevi. The 13 th International Architecture
Exhibition also includes 18 Collateral Events presented by national and international subjects and
institutions that hold their exhibitions and initiatives in various locations around the city.
For the third consecutive year the two peak appointments organized by la Biennale di Venezia,
Biennale Sessions and Meetinngs on Architecture, reinforces the character of la Biennale as a place
of research.
- Biennale Sessions is a program for Universities and following the success of the earlier editions,
the Biennale will present once again the program, known as the Biennale Sessions, dedicated to
Universities. Addressed to Universities, Fine Arts Academies, research and educational
institutions in the field of architecture, visual arts and kindred areas. The goal of this initiative is to
encourage visits to the exhibition by groups of at least 50 students and teachers who will be
assisted in the organization of their journey and stay. They will be able to organize seminars in a

space made available to them free of charge by la Biennale. Nowadays, 61 international
institutions (23 Italian and 38 foreign) have already signed up for Biennale Sessions.
- Meetings on Architecture is a program of performance, conversations and talks dedicated to
architecture which will see confront architects, sociologists, curators, artists and philosophers
during October and November.
“The evolution of the exhibition is in step with that of the public - underlines Baratta - which not
only increases numerically but seems more and more qualitatively demanding. This is also thanks
to two initiatives of la Biennale, devised to make the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition a
reference point for new generations, who must be given room for verification and comparison
that is not only habitual communication but a place enriched with new stimuli”.
Also scheduled for the year 2012 is a program of Educational activities addressed to individuals
and groups of students from schools of every grade and level, of universities and architecture
schools, professionals, companies, experts, amateurs and families. The activities, led by staff
members selected and trained by la Biennale di Venezia, encourage the active involvement of
participants, and are divided into Guided Tours and Workshops.
The awards and inauguration ceremony of the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition will be
held on Wednesday August 29 th at the Giardini, with the conferral of the official awards assigned
by the international Jury composed by Wiel Arets (Netherlands), Kristin Feireiss (Germany),
Robert A.M. Stern (USA), Benedetta Tagliabue (Italy), Alan Yentob (Great Britain).
Two online competitions are launched on the social website www.labiennalechannel.org:
Common Ground/ Photography: for the best photo of the Exhibition (this competition is open
exclusively to accredited photographers); Common Ground/ Essay: for the best critical essay on the
Exhibition.
The official catalogue – published by Marsilio Editori – consists of a single volume of 348 pages
devoted to the International Exhibition, National Participations and Collateral Events. The volume
will be available for the first time also in the e-book version for an interactive and ipertextual
reading of the catalogue, with inedited images. There will also be provided a short guide, a useful
tool for the Exhibition tour featuring maps and practical information, and Common Ground In
Photographs featuring photos taken during the Exhibition by the photographer Juergen Teller,
commissioned by David Chipperfield (available from the second weekend of September).
The Common Ground Critical reader is a hardbound book which contains 31 critical illustrated
essays commissioned by David Chipperfield from authors who reflect on the theme Common
Ground. The entire editorial production uses the graphic project design by John Morgan Studio
(English language only).
iBiennale is the official application of la Biennale di Venezia available for iPad and iPhone. It is
produced in partnership with LOG607 and Marsilio Editori, and features a new design becaming
a useful tool to explore and get the best of the Exhibition.
Ultrafragola Channels chronicles the preview days and the major events during the 13 th Exhibition
through several programmes, devoted to the Exhibition and comprising reports and videointerviews
that can be watched online at www.labiennale.org.

The 13 th International Architecture Exhibition is made possible by the support of Foscarini,
Telecom Italia, Golden Goose Deluxe Brand, Japan Tobacco International, Happy Business to
You, EGI-Gruppo Poste Italiane, Vela-Hello Venezia, Rolex, Moroso, Volume, Ferrovie dello
Stato Italiane, Charta and Best Union Company and Gi Group.
We would also like to thank Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP.
La Biennale thanks the Ministry of Culture, which at a difficult time for public finances is
maintaining its decisive support, the local institutions for their support in various ways, the City
of Venice and the Regione del Veneto. Thanks also to the authorities that are in various ways
involved and concerned with the buildings in which we hold the Exhibition, from the Ministry of
Defence to the Venice Superintendence. Thanks to the Sponsors that gave their crucial
contribution, and to those who have contributed in so many ways.
For further information
Press Office Architecture
la Biennale di Venezia
Ph. +39 041 – 5218846/849
F. +39 041 – 5218812
e-mail: infoarchitettura@labiennale.org
www.labiennale.org
FB: La Biennale di Venezia
@twitter.com/la_Biennale
IMAGES of the 13 th Exhibition can be downloaded
from this link:
http://ftp.labiennale.org
Account: biennale2012
Password: arch2012

Common Ground
David Chipperfield
That the most important architectural exhibition takes place in Venice can be no accident. Venice
supplies a stage that no other city could for such an event. Its architecture, modest and grandiose,
combines with the lagoon to create something beyond nature itself. The city shames us by its
beauty, reminding us of the real possibilities of architecture, both as individual acts and as part of
a greater vision.
Against all odds, Italy remains the spiritual home of architecture and it is here we can fully
understand the importance of buildings not as individual spectacles but as the manifestations of
collective values and as the settings for daily life. The sensibility and understanding of the people
is without doubt the result of living amongst the world’s greatest patrimony of architecture and
urbanism. This tangible sense of context and history remind us that our built world is a testament
to the continuous evolution of architectural language and critical to our understanding of the
world around us.
With this in mind, I was inspired to direct this Biennale towards concerns of continuity, context
and memory, towards shared influences and expectations, and to address the apparent lack of
understanding that exists between the profession and society.
The director of the Architecture Biennale has the privilege of inviting participants to exhibit in the
Arsenale and the Central Pavilion of the Giardini della Biennale. With this comes the responsibility
to give a direction to this exhibition of talent and research. This direction can be defined by the title
of la Biennale which itself can provide a cover under which the participants can find shelter to
present their ideas. In choosing my theme, I wanted to encourage my colleagues to react to the
prevalent professional and cultural tendencies of our time that place such emphasis on individual
and isolated actions. I encouraged them instead to demonstrate the importance of influence and of
the continuity of cultural endeavour, to illustrate common and shared ideas that form the basis of
an architectural culture.
Common Ground provokes us to admit the inspirations and influences that I believe should define
our profession. The phrase also trains our attention on the city, which is our area of expertise and
activity, but is something created in collaboration with every citizen, and the many stakeholders
and participants in the process of building. The discipline of architecture involves diverse and
often contradictory concerns, but I believe we share ideas and visions that can be confirmed
through architecture itself. Common Ground invites us to find these shared ideas from our
individual positions of difference.
This Biennale, coming at a time of global economic anxiety, offers us a chance to put into
perspective the undeniable individual architectural achievements that have given identity to the
recent years, and to provoke a more focused consideration of our shared concerns and
expectations.

The theme of la Biennale was a provocation to my colleagues to demonstrate their commitment to
these shared and common values, encouraging them away from a monographic presentation of
their work, and towards a portrait of the collaborations and affinities behind it. That they have all
engaged in this with such commitment and energy is a testament to them and confirmation of
what we know but don’t articulate sufficiently: that despite our different concerns, backgrounds
and points of view we do indeed share common ground, and this forms the basis of something we
might describe as an architectural culture. Furthermore, this provides us with a basis for dialogue,
debate and opinion.
The administration of the Venice Biennale, under the secure guidance of its President Paolo
Baratta, has persisted in giving us the opportunity to reflect on the discipline of architecture. We
should not underestimate this gift, nor should we imagine such an event would be possible
anywhere else.
The exhibition is the result of incredible effort and I would like to acknowledge the work of la
Biennale staff and especially Manuela Lucà Dazio, without whom this event would not be
possible.
Many thanks to my own team, calmly led by Kieran Long, Jaffer Kolb who dealt with every
problem with dedication and humour, Shumi Bose who masterminded the publications, and to
Rik Nys for his design direction.
Special thanks to John Morgan and his team who gave us the elegant graphic identity of the
exhibition and the catalogues.
Special thanks to Richard Sennett who gave us the title of la Biennale at a time when we were
struggling to give an identity to our intentions, to Jamie Fobert who advised us on the exhibition
design, and to the others who gave us advice and guidance, including Dietmar Steiner, Chris
Dercon, Richard Rogers, Lynda Myles, Heiner and Celine Bastian, Ricky Burdett, and Mario Nanni
who offered generous support for lighting design.
I would like to thank all of the sponsors. Without their generosity and support, this Biennale
would never have happened. Thank you also to the friends who helped me in the search for
sponsors, Arnica-Verena Langenmaier, Monika Sprüth, Erica Bolton and Jane Quinn, Margit
Mayer, Rosario Saxe-Coburg, Victor Zamudio-Taylor, Peter Saville and Sir Ronald Grierson.
Finally I would like to thank my office who covered for me during this period and Evelyn and my
family for their support and humour through stressful moments.
Finally the exhibition is a tribute to the participants and contributors and to their commitment and
energy and their collaboration in this tentative experiment to define Common Ground.

Sir David Chipperfield CBE, RA, RDI, RIBA
Biographical notes
David Chipperfield (London, 1953) studied at Kingston School of Art and the Architectural Association in
London. After graduating he worked at the practices of Douglas Stephen, Richard Rogers, and Norman
Foster. He has taught and lectured worldwide, including as Professor of Architecture at the Staatliche
Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Stuttgart from 1995 to 2001; and as visiting professor at schools of
architecture in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. David Chipperfield is
currently Norman R. Foster Visiting Professor of Architectural Design at Yale University.
David Chipperfield Architects was established in 1984 and currently has more than 250 staff at its offices in
London, Berlin, Milan and Shanghai. Among the practice’s major recent works are the renewed Neues
Museum in Berlin; the Anchorage Museum of History and Art, Alaska; the City of Justice in Barcelona; the
Des Moines Public Library in Iowa; Ninetree Village, a residential district in Hangzhou, China; the new
Museum Folkwang in Essen, Germany; the Kaufhaus Tyrol department store in Innsbruck and the Peek
&Cloppenburgflagship store in Vienna; a laboratory building on the Novartis campus in Basel; and in 2011,
the Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate and The Hepworth Wakefield, both in the United Kingdom.
Ongoing current projects include a new gallery for the Colección Jumex in Mexico City; the luxury five star
Hotel Café Royal on London’s Regent Street; the Perm Opera and Ballet Theatre in Russia; the Marrakech
Gallery in Morocco; Elizabeth House, a major new office and residential development near Waterloo in
London; the James Simon Gallery, a new entrance building to Berlin’s Museum Island; a new wing for the
Saint Louis Art Museum in the United States; the Ansaldo City of Cultures in Milan; and a new building for
the Kunsthaus Zurich in Switzerland.
From the beginning of his career, David Chipperfield has also been interested in the design and function of
interior spaces, including shop interiors for Issey Miyake, Joseph, Dolce &Gabbana, and Valentino, as well as
a range of furniture, lighting, and tableware. David Chipperfield’s Tonale range of ceramics for Alessi
received the Compasso d’Oro in 2011, and the Piana folding chair has recently been acquired for the
permanent collection at MoMA.
The practice has won numerous international awards and citations for design excellence, including RIBA
and AIA awards, the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2007, and the European Union Prize for Contemporary
Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award in 2011. In 1999 David Chipperfield was awarded the Heinrich
Tessenow Gold Medal. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and an
Honorary Member of the Bund Deutscher Architekten in 2007 and he was awarded both the Wolf
Foundation Prize in the Arts and the Grand DAI Award (Verband Deutscher Architekten- und
Ingenieurvereine) for Building Culture in 2010. He holds honorary doctorates from Kingston University
(2009) and the University of Kent (2010).
In 2004 he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to architecture. He was
appointed a Royal Designer for Industry in 2006, and elected to the Royal Academy in 2008. In 2009 David
Chipperfield was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany – the highest tribute that
can be paid to individuals for service to the nation – and in 2010 he was knighted for services to architecture
in the UK and Germany. In 2011, he received the RIBA Royal Gold Medal for Architecture; given in
recognition of a lifetime’s work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved personally by Her Majesty the Queen.

Common Ground
Participants
The selection of participants for this year’s Biennale evolved in response to the Common Ground
theme. We began with a desire to emphasise shared ideas over individual authorship, and realised
that this required us to initiate dialogues rather simply make a selection of individuals. We began
by asking a limited group of architects to develop ideas that might lead to further invitations:
everyone was asked to propose a project along with a dialogue that reacted to the theme and
showed architecture in its context of influence and affinity, history and language, city and culture.
The final list of contributors demonstrates a rich culture of difference rather than a selection of
edited and promoted positions. We want to emphasise the common ground that the profession
shares, notwithstanding the apparent diversity of today’s architectural production. The sharing of
differences is critical to the idea of an architectural culture.
(David Chipperfield)
1. Group:
13178 Moran Street
Ellie Abrons/Adam Fure
Ann Arbor, USA
Meredith Miller
Ann Arbor, USA
Thom Moran
Ann Arbor, USA
Catie Newell
Ann Arbor, USA
Rosalyne Shieh and Troy Schaum
SCHAUM/SHIEH
Ann Arbor and Houston, USA
2. 40, 000 Hours
Architecture Schools
Aalborg Universitet,Berlage Institute, Det
Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi,Ecole Nationale
Supérieure d’Architecture de Toulouse, Ecole
Spéciale d’Architecture Paris Belleville, Escuela
Politécnica Superior – Universidad Ceu San
Pablo, Escuela Tecnica Superior de Arquitectura –
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid,
Fachhochschule Düsseldorf, Hochschule Bremen
– Fakultät Architektur, Karlsruher Institut für
Technologie Fakultät für Architektur, Norges
Teknisk-Naturviten Skapelige Universitet Oslo,
Arkitektur- og designhøgskolen i Oslo,
Panepistímio Patrón, Politecnico di Milano Scuola
di Architettura e Società, Pontificia Universidad
Católica de Chile, Rice University, Technische
Universität München, Tongji University,
Tsinghua University, Unitec Institute of
Technology, Universidade da Coruña,
Universidad do Porto, Universidad Pontificia de
Salamanca, Universidad Tecnologica Equinoccial,
University College Dublin, Università IUAV di
Venezia, Università degli Studi di Camerino,
Università degli Studi di Trento, Università degli
Studi Gabriele d’Annunzio di Chieti- Pescara,
Università degli Studi di Enna “Kore”, University
of California Berkeley, University of Greenwich,
Univerza v Ljubljani
3. AGA KHAN DEVELOPMENT NETWORK
Geneva, Switzerland
4. Francisco Aires Mateus
Manuel Aires Mateus
AIRES MATEUS
Lisbon, Portugal
5. Alejandro Aravena
ELEMENTAL
Santiago, Chile
6. Annette Gigon
Mike Guyer
GIGON/GUYER ARCHITEKTEN
Zurich, Switzerland

7. Constantin Petcou
Doina Petrescu
ATELIER D'ARCHITECTURE AUTOGÉRÉE
Paris, France
8. Peter Zumthor
ATELIER ZUMTHOR
Haldenstein, Switzerland
with Wim Wenders
9. Group:
Jean Nouvel
ATELIERS JEAN NOUVEL
Paris, France
Mia Hägg
HABITER AUTREMENT
Paris, France
10. Bernard Tschumi
BERNARD TSCHUMI ARCHITECTS
New York, USA
Paris, France
11. Robert Burghardt
Berlin, Germany
12. Alberto Campo Baeza
ESTUDIO ARQUITECTURA CAMPO BAEZA
Madrid, Spain
13. Adam Caruso
Peter St. John
CARUSO ST. JOHN ARCHITECTS
London, UK
hosting:
BIQ
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
MÄRKLI ARCHITEKT
Zurich, Switzerland
KNAPKIEWICZ FICKERT
Zurich, Switzerland
HILD UND K.
Munich, Germany
Hermann Czech
Vienna, Austria
BOVENBOUW
Antwerp, Belgium
14. Günther Vogt
CASE STUDIO VOGT
Zurich, Switzerland
ETH Zürich
Zurich, Switzerland
15. Cino Zucchi
CINO ZUCCHI ARCHITETTI
Milan, Italy
16. Alison Crawshaw
London, UK
17. Ewout Dorman
Annuska Pronkhorst
Michelle Provoost
Simone Rots
Wouter Vanstiphout
Cassandra Wilkins
CRIMSON ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIANS
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
18. Thomas Demand
Berlin, Germany
Los Angeles, USA
with work by Martin Boyce, Thomas Scheibitz
and the Canadian Center for Architecture
19. Roger Diener
DIENER & DIENER
Basel, Switzerland
with Gabriele Basilico
20. David Knight
Cristina Monteiro
DK-CM
London, UK
Folk in a Box
London, UK
21. Peter Eisenman
EISENMAN ARCHITECTS
New York, USA
hosting:
DOGMA
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Yale University School of Architecture
New Haven, USA
Jeff Kipnis and Ohio State University
Knowlton School of Architecture
Columbus, USA

22. Olafur Eliasson
Berlin, Germany
with Frederik Ottesen
23. Group:
Eric Parry
ERIC PARRY ARCHITECTS
London, UK
Graham Haworth
Steve Tompkins
HAWORTH TOMPKINS
London, UK
Patrick Lynch
Claudia Lynch
LYNCH ARCHITECTS
London, UK
24. Farshid Moussavi
FARSHID MOUSSAVI ARCHITECTURE
London, UK
25. Sean Griffiths
Charles Holland
Sam Jacob
FAT
London, UK
hosting:
Architectural Doppelgangers Research
Cluster (AA)
London, UK
San Rocco
Milan, Italy
Ines Weizman
London, UK
26. Luis Fernández-Galiano
Madrid, Spain
hosting:
Francisco Mangado
Pamplona, Spain
Emilio Tuñón
MANSILLA + TUÑÓN
Madrid, Spain
Nieto Sobejano
NIETO SOBEJANO ARQUITECTOS
Madrid, Spain
Angela Garcia de Paredes
Ignacio Pedrosa
PAREDES PEDROSA ARQUITECTOS
Madrid, Spain
Rafael Aranda, Carmen Pigem, Ramon
Vilalta
RCR ARQUITECTES
Olot, Spain
27. Peter Fischli
David Weiss
FISCHLI WEISS
Zurich, Switzerland
28. Norman Foster
London, UK
with work by Carlos Carcas and Charles
Sandison
29. Norman Foster
FOSTER + PARTNERS
London, UK
with work by Marisa Gonzalez,Andreas
Gursky and Ben Johnson
30. Kenneth Frampton
New York, USA
hosting:
Steven Holl
STEVEN HOLL ARCHITECTS
New York, USA
Rick Joy
RICK JOY ARCHITECTS
Tucson, USA
John Patkau
Patricia Patkau
PATKAU ARCHITECTS
Vancouver, Canada
STANLEY SAITOWITZ/NATOMA ARCHITECTS
San Francisco, USA
Brigitte Shim
Howard Sutcliffe
SHIM-SUTCLIFFE ARCHITECTS
Toronto, Canada
31. Group:
Fiona Scott
Jay Gort
GORT SCOTT
London, UK
Robert McKillop
London, UK
Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Paris, France; Genoa, Italy

32. Group:
Shelley McNamara
Yvonne Farrell
GRAFTON ARCHITECTS
Dublin, Ireland
Paulo Mendes da Rocha
São Paulo, Brazil
33. Juan Herreros
JUANHERREROSARQUITECTOSSL
Madrid, Spain
34. HERZOG & DE MEURON
Basel, Switzerland
35. Fulvio Irace
Milan, Italy
36. Kazuyo Sejima
Ryue Nishizawa
KAZUYO SEJIMA + RYUE NISHIZAWA /
SANAA
Tokyo, Japan
37. Hans Kollhoff
PROF. HANS KOLLHOFF ARCHITEKTEN
Berlin, Germany
38. Elke Krasny
Vienna, Austria
39. Johannes Kuehn
Wilfried Kuehn
Simona Malvezzi
KUEHN MALVEZZI
Berlin, Germany
with work by Candida Höfer and Armin Linke
40. Anupama Kundoo
Brisbane, Australia
Auroville, India
41. Vittorio Magnago Lampugnani
STUDIO DI ARCHITETTURA
Milan, Italy
42. Peter Märkli
MÄRKLI ARCHITEKT
Zurich, Switzerland
43. José Rafael Moneo
Madrid, Spain
44. Jasper Morrison
JASPER MORRISON LTD
London, UK
45. Katherine Clarke
Liza Fior
MUF ARCHITECTURE/ART
London, UK
with Jane da Mosto and
Michela Scibilia
46. Winy Maas
Jacob van Rijs
Nathalie de Vries
MVRDV
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
THE WHY FACTORY
TU Delft, The Netherlands
47. Jo Noero
NOERO ARCHITECTS
Cape Town, South Africa
with work by The Keiskamma Trust
Hamburg Women’s Co-operative
48. Mario Nanni
Bologna, Italy
49. Laurids Ortner
Manfred Ortner
O&O BAUKUNST
Berlin, Germany; Vienna, Austria
Cologne, Germany; Rostov, Russia
50. Sheila O’Donnell
John Tuomey
O'DONNELL + TUOMEY ARCHITECTS
Dublin, Ireland
51. Valerio Olgiati
Flims, Switzerland
52. Reinier de Graaf
OMA
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
53. Piet Oudolf
Hummelo, The Netherlands
54. Steve Parnell
Sheffield, UK

55. Mark Randel
Thomas Kupke
Berlin, Germany
56. Group:
Paul Robbrecht
Hilde Daem
ROBBRECHT EN DAEM ARCHITECTEN
Ghent, Belgium
Marie José van Hee
MARIE-JOSÉ VAN HEE ARCHITECTEN
Ghent, Belgium
with work by Cristina Iglesias and Maarten
Vanden Abeele
57. Group:
Ruta del Peregrino
Ai Weiwei
AI WEIWEI / FAKE DESIGN
Beijing, China
Emanuel Christ
Christoph Gantenbein
CHRIST & GANTENBEIN
Basel, Switzerland
Derek Dellekamp
DELLEKAMP ARQUITECTOS
Mexico City, Mexico
Alejandro Aravena
ELEMENTAL
Santiago del Chile, Chile
Emiliano Godoy
GODOYLAB
Roma Sur, México
Simon Hartmann
Tilo Herlach
Simon Frommenwiler
HHF ARCHITECTS
Basel, Switzerland
Luis Aldrete
LUIS ALDRETE ARQUITECTOS
Guadalajara, Mexico
Rozana Montiel
PERIFERICA
Mexico City, Mexico
Tatiana Bilbao
TATIANA BILBAO S.C.
Mexico City, Mexico
with work by Cristian Manzutto
58. San Rocco
Milan, Italy
59. Jonathan Sergison
Stephen Bates
SERGISON BATES and JACCAUD
London, UK; Zurich, Switzerland
hosting:
Brendeland & Kristoffersen
Trondheim, Norway
Emiliano López Mónica Rivera
Barcelona, Spain
Knapkiewicz & Fickert
Zurich, Switzerland
Lacaton Vassal & Druot
Paris, France
Wingender Hovenier
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
60. Seung H-Sang
IROJE ARCHITECTS & PLANNERS
Seoul, South Korea
61. Group:
Álvaro Siza Vieira
Porto, Portugal
Eduardo Souto de Moura
SOUTO MOURA ARQUITECTOS
Porto, Portugal
62. Luigi Snozzi
Locarno, Switzerland
63. Thomas Struth
Berlin, Germany
64. Group:
Team Chicago: City Works
David Brown
Chicago, USA
Alexander Eisenschmidt
Chicago, USA
Jeanne Gang
STUDIO GANG
Chicago, USA
Stanley Tigerman
TIGERMAN MCCURRY ARCHITECTS
Chicago, USA
Sarah Dunn
Martin Felsen
URBANLAB
Chicago, USA

65. Tod Williams
Billie Tsien
TOD WILLIAMS BILLIE TSIEN AND
ASSOCIATES
New York, USA
66. Toshiko Mori
TOSHIKO MORI ARCHITECT
New York, USA
68. Wolfgang Wolters
Berlin, Germany
with work by Mario Piana and Alessandra
Chemollo
69. Zaha Hadid
ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS
London, UK
67. Group:
Alfredo Brillembourg
Hubert Klumpner
URBAN THINK TANK
Caracas, Venezuela
Justin McGuirk
London, UK

la Biennale di Venezia
Álvaro Siza Vieira
Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
of the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition
Álvaro Siza Vieira has been chosen to be the recipient of the Golden Lion for Lifetime
Achievement of the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition – Common Ground.
The decision is made by the Board of la Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo Baratta,
under Director David Chipperfield who presented the following motivation:
“I am equal in size to whatever I see,
not hemmed in by the size I am”
(Fernando Pessoa, The Book of Disquiet)
“It is difficult to think of a contemporary architect who has maintained such a consistent
presence within the profession as Álvaro Siza. That this presence is maintained by an
architect that lives and works at the extreme Atlantic margin of Europe only serves to
emphasise his authority and his status.”
“Since the early appreciation of the Boa Nova restaurant and the swimming pools at Leca
de Palmeira and a reputation confirmed by the early houses, Siza has maintained a unique
position in the architectural galaxy. This position is full of paradox. Siza has upheld a
consistent production of works at the highest level, yet without the slightest hint of the
overt professionalism and promotion that has become part of the contemporary architect’s
machinery. Apparently running in the opposite direction to the rest of the profession he
always seems to be out in front, seemingly untainted and undaunted by the practical and
intellectual challenges he sets himself.”
“Secured by his isolated location, he exudes worldly wisdom. Experimenting with forms
of extreme geometry he manages to produce buildings of great rigor. Developing an
architectural language that is uniquely his, he seems to speak to all of us. While his work
exudes the security of judgment, it is clearly intensified through cautious reflection. While
we are dazzled by the lightness of his buildings, we feel the seriousness of their substance.
Those of us fortunate enough to have heard him speak about architecture, using words as
sparingly and as precise as the fine lines of his drawings, know that these works are not
the product of a conventional talent but of a mind sophisticatedly exercised by the
confidence of knowledge and the wisdom of doubt.” (David Chipperfield)
The Golden Lion will be officially awarded to Álvaro Siza Vieira on Wednesday August 29 th , 2012
- 11am at the Giardini of la Biennale, during the opening and award ceremony of the 13 th
International Architecture Exhibition.

Álvaro Siza Vieira
biographical notes
Álvaro Joaquim Melo Siza Vieira was born in Matosinhos (near Porto), in 1933.
From 1949-55 he studied at the School of Architecture, University of Porto. His first built project was finished in 1954.
From 1955-58 he was collaborator of Arch. Fernando Távora. He taught at the School of Architecture (ESBAP) from 1966-
69 and was appointed Professor of "Construction" in 1976. He was a Visiting Professor at the Ècole Polythéchnique of
Lausanne, the University of Pennsylvania, Los Andes University of Bogotá and the Graduate School of Design of
Harvard University; he taught at the School of Architecture of Porto (jubilate in 2003).
He is the author of many projects such as: the Boa Nova Tea House and Restaurant; 1200 dwellings built in Malagueira,
Évora; the Superior School of Education in Setúbal, the new School of Architecture in Porto; the Library of Aveiro
University; the Museum of Modern Art in Porto; the Church and Parochial Centre in Marco de Canavezes; the Pavilion of
Portugal for EXPO '98 and the Pavilion of Portugal in Hannover 2000 (with Souto de Moura); the dwelling and offices
complex of “Terraços de Bragança” in Lisbon; and he has rebuilt the burnt area of Chiado in Lisbon since 1988, including
the projects for some buildings like Castro e Melo, Grandella, Chiado Stores, and others.
He has been coordinated the plan of Schilderswijk's recuperation in The Hague, Holland, since 1985, which finished in
89; in 1995 he finished the project for blocs 6-7-8 in Ceramique Terrein, Maastricht.
In Spain he has completed the projects for the Meteorological Centre of Villa Olimpica in Barcelona; the Museum of
Contemporary Art of Galicia and the Faculty of Information Sciences in Santiago de Compostela; the Rectorate of the
Alicante University; Zaida building – offices, commercial and dwelling complex in Granada; Sportive Complex Cornellà
de L’lobregat in Barcelona.
Cultural Centre and auditorium for the Ibere Camargo Foundation in Brazil; Municipal Centre of Rosario in Argentina;
lodging-house in the Plan of Recuperation and Transformation of Cidade Velha in Cap Vert; Serpentine Pavillion (2005)
with Eduardo Souto Moura; Museum of Modern Art of Naples in Italy; Anyang Pavilion in South Korea (with Carlos
Castanheira); Mimesis Museum in South Korea (with Carlos Castanheira); are to be mentioned.
His works were exhibited in:
Copenhagen (1975); Aarhus and Barcelona (1976); la Biennale di Venezia (1978); Milan (1979); Museum of Architecture in
Helsinki and Alvar Aalto Museum in Jyvaeskyla, Finland (1982); Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (1982); Institute of
Contemporary Arts, London, and Stichting Wonen, Amsterdam (1983); Technische Hogenschool, Delft, ESBAP and
Almada Negreiros Gallery, Lisbon (1984); International Building Exhibition, Berlin (1984 and 1987); Biennale of Paris and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (1985); 9H Gallery, London (1986); Columbia University, New York
(1987); Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge (1988); Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris and MOPU
Gallery/Ministerio de Obras Publicas, Madrid (1990); RIBA, London and Colegio de Arquitectos, Sevilla (1991); deSingel
Gallery, Antwerp (1992); Rui Alberto Gallery, Porto and MOPU, Madrid; GA Gallery, Tokyo; and Biennale of San Paolo,
Brazil (1993); Colegio de Arquitectos, Granada and Seville, "Sala do Risco", Lisbon (1994); Centro Galego de Arte
Contemporaneo, Santiago de Compostela; Antico Convento de Santa Clara, Republic of San Marino; Società Ticinese di
Belle Arti, Mendrisio/Comune di Como (1995); Gammeldok, Copenhagen, Municipality of Matosinhos, Belém Cultural
Centre, Lisbon, and Colegio de Arquitectos, Tenerife (1996); Fondation pour l'Architecture, Brussels (1997); Fundación
ICO (sculpture), Madrid (1998); Basilica Palladiana, Vicenza (1999); Palazzo Ducale, Venice; Safia Gallery, Barcelona
(2000); Art Front Gallery, Tokyo; Caixa Geral de Depósitos Bank, Porto; Artistic and Cultural Association (1st Biennale of
Silver), Lamego (2001); District Archive of Porto; Yokohama Portside Gallery, Yokohama; Art Gallery Artium, Fukuoka;
Art Gallery of Bremen; School of Architecture of Saint-Étienne; Artek – Portuguese Design, Helsinki; 8th International
Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia, Venice (2002); Canal Foundation, Madrid; Biennale Foundation of S.
Paulo, São Paulo; Belém Cultural Centre, Lisbon; Centre of Design of l’UQAM, Montreal, Canada (2004). Max Protetch
Gallery, New York; Museum of Architecture, Prague; 9th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia,
Venice; Triennial of Milan (2004). Serralves Museum, Porto (2005).
Total Museum, Seoul (2006); Santa Monica Museum of Art, Califórnia (2006); Centre Meridional de L’Architecture et de la
Ville, Toulouse (2006); Claustre des Miralls des Santuari de Meritxell, Andorra (2006); Anyang Pavilion, Coreia do Sul
(2006). Nova Dehli (2007). Cooperativa Árvore, Porto; Ohtake Institute, São Paulo; Lecce, Italy; Belém – Pará, Brasil;
Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal.
He has participated in several lectures and conferences in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Norway, Holland,
Switzerland, Austria, England, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Canada, United States, Romania, Greece, South Korea
and Sweden.
Having been invited to participate in international competitions, he won the first place in Schlesisches Tor, Kreuzberg,
Berlin (now built), at the recuperation of Campo di Marte in Venice (1985) and at the renewal of Casino and Café
Winkler, Salzburg (1986); Cultural Centre for the La Defensa, Madrid (with José Paulo Santos) (1988/89); J. Paul Getty

Museum, Malibu, California (with Peter Testa) (1993); Pietà Rondanini Room, Sforzesco Castell, Milan (1999); Special
Plan Recoletos-Prado, Madrid (with Juan Miguel Hernandez Leon e Carlos Riaño) (2002); Toledo Hospital (Sánchez-
Horneros office) (2003); “Atrio de la Alhambra” in Spain (with Juan Domingo Santos)(2010); “Parco delle Cave”, Lecce in
Italy (with Carlos Castanheira) (2010).
He has participated in the competitions for Expo 92 in Sevilla, Spain (with Eduardo Souto de Moura and Adalberto Dias)
(1986); for "Un Progetto per Siena", Italy (with José Paulo Santos) (1988); the Cultural Centre La Defensa in Madrid, Spain
(1988/89); the Bibliothèque of France in Paris (1989/90), the Helsinki Museum (with Souto de Moura) (1992-93); Flamenco
City of Xerez de la Frontera, Spain (with Juan Miguel Hernandez Leon) (2003).
The Portuguese Department of the International Association of Art Critics awarded him the Prize of Architecture of 1982.
He received an Award from the Portuguese Architects Association in 1987.
In 1988 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the "Colegio de Architectos", Spain, the Gold Medal of the Alvar Aalto
Foundation, the "Prince of Wales Prize" in Urban Design by Harvard University and the "European Award of Architecture"
by the Economic European Comunity/Mies van der Rohe Foundation, Barcelona. In 1992 he was awarded the Pritzker
Prize by the Hyatt Foundation of Chicago for his entire work. In 1993 the Portuguese Architects Association gave him the
National Prize of Architecture. In 1994 he received the Dr. H.P. Berlagestichting Prize and the Gubbio Prize/Associazione
Nazionale Centri Storico-Artistici. In 1995 the Nara World Architecture Exposition awarded him the Gold Medal; and
the Fiera di Verona gave him the International Award Architetture di Pietra. In 1996 he was awarded the Secil Prize of
Architecture, and in 1997 the Manuel de la Dehesa Award by the Menendez Pelayo University, in Santander. In 1998, he
received the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize by the American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York; the Premio
IberFAD de Arquitectura by the Foment de les Arts Decoratives, Barcelona; and the Praemium Imperiale by the Japan Art
Association, Tokyo, and the Gold Medal by the Circulo de Bellas Artes of Madrid. In 1999, he received the Grã-Cruz da
Ordem do Infante D. Henrique given by the Presidency of the Portuguese Republic, and the Leca Prize of Construction'98.
In 2000, the Fondazione Frate Sole, in Pavia, gave him the Premio Internazionale di Architettura Sacra.
In 2001, he was awarded the Wolf Prize in the Arts by The Wolf Foundation in Israel and Alexandre Herculano
Architecture National Prize. In 2002, he was awarded the VI Prémio Internacional Compostela by Xunta da Galicia of
Santiago de Compostela; the Arts Medal by Consejera de las Artes of Madrid; the Golden Lion for best project by la Biennale
di Venezia; the best professional trajectory in Architecture by III Bienal Iberoamericana of Architecture and Civil
Engineering, of Santiago do Chile; Personality of the Year by the Associação da Imprensa Estrangeira in Portugal and the
Vitruvio 2002 Prize by the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, of Buenos Aires. In 2003, he was awarded the Medal of Turistic
Merit by the Gabinete do Secretário de Estado do Turismo, in Lisbon; “Palladio d’Oro” by Comune di Vicenza and Distinction
Special Honour by the Colegio Oficial de Arquitectos de Castilla-La Mancha, in Guadalajara. In 2004, he was awarded the
Latinity Prize from the Latin Union, in Lisbon; Valmor and Municipality of Architecture Prize by Lisbon City Hall. In
2005, he received the Keys of the City by Porto City Hall; reward the Principal Urbanisme 2005 by the Ministère de
l’Équipement de l’Aménagement du Territoire du Tourisme et de la Mer de Paris; Architecture award by the College of
Architects in Granada; Gold Medal of Merit by the Ayuntamiento of Santiago de Compostela. In 2007, he was awarded
by Secil Prize of Architecture 2006; Matosinhos Town Hall homage him; Marco de Canaveses Town Hall awarded him
with medal of merit Cultural and Scientific; Cultural Ministry of Brazil awarded him with the Order of Merit Cultural. In
2009, Royal Gold Medal 2009 by The Royal Institute of British Architects; Gold Medal of Architecture from de Académie
d’architecture, Paris; Extremadura a lá creación award from Junta de Extremadura, Cáceres; Medal of Merit Cultural from
Ministry of Culture in Portugal.
In 2010, Mediterraneo award for Architecture 2009 by Fondazione Mediterraneo, Naples; International award 2010 from
Fundación Cristóbal Gabarrón, Valladolid; award luso-spanish art and culture by Ministry of Culture, Spain and the
UIA Gold Medal on the 24 th World Congress of Architecture in Japan.
Doctor "Honoris Causa" by University of Valencia, in Spain (1992); by École Polithécnique Federal in Lausanne, in
Switzerland (1993); by the Palermo University (1995); by Menendez Pelayo University, in Santander (1995); by the
Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería in Lima, Peru (1995); by the University of Coimbra, in Portugal (1997); by the Lusíada
University in Porto, in Portugal (1999), by Paraíba Federal University, in Brazil (2000); by Federico II University in Naples,
in Italy (2004); by the University of Architecture and Urbanism of Bucarest “Ion Mincu” in Romenia (2005); by the
Università degli studi di Pavia – Faculty of Engineering, in Italy (2007); by the Pará Federal University (2008), in Brazil; by
the Technical University of Lisbon, Faculty of Architecture, in Portugal (2010); by Seville University, in Spain (2011).
He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Science; "Honorary Fellow" of the Royal Institute of British Architects;
AIA/American Institute of Architects; Académie d'Architecture de France and European Academy of Sciences and Arts; Royal
Swedish Academy of Fine Arts; IAA/International Academy of Architecture; American Academy of Arts and Letters.

la Biennale di Venezia
13 th International Architecture Exhibition
Common Ground
The International Jury
The International Jury of the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition has been appointed by the
Board of Directors of la Biennale di Venezia, chaired by Paolo Baratta, upon the recommendation
of Director David Chipperfield.
The International Jury is composed as follows:
Wiel Arets (Netherlands), architect, architectural theorist, urbanist, industrial designer and
Professor of Building Planning and Design at the Berlin University of the Arts, UdK;
Kristin Feireiss (Germany), journalist, curator, director of the NAi - Netherlands Architecture
Institute from 1996 to 2001 and founder of the Architecture Forum Aedes, Berlin;
Robert A.M. Stern (USA), architect and Dean of the Yale University School of Architecture;
Benedetta Tagliabue (Italy), architect, co-founder with Eric Miralles of Miralles Tagliabue EMBT;
Alan Yentob (Great Britain), Creative Director of the BBC and Honorary Fellow of the Royal
Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
The President of the Jury will be nominated by its members at the first meeting.
The International Jury will attribute the following official prizes:
Golden Lion for best National Participation;
Golden Lion for best project in the International Exhibition Common Ground;
Silver Lion for a promising young architect in the International Exhibition Common Ground.
The awards ceremony will take Wednesday August 29 th , 2012 – at 11 am at the Giardini of la
Biennale. The exhibition will be open to the public from 10 am.

Wiel Arets (1955) is a Dutch architect, theorist, urbanist, industrial designer and Professor of
Building Planning and Design at the Berlin University of the Arts, UdK. He studied at the Technical
University of Eindhoven, graduating in 1983, founded Wiel Arets Architects in the same year. From
1995-2002 he was the Dean of the Berlage Institute in Rotterdam, where he introduced the idea of
'progressive-research' and co-founded the school's architectural journal HUNCH.
Kristin Feireiss (Berlin, Germany 1942) is a journalist, curator, and founder of the Architecture
Forum Aedes (Berlin) together with her partner Hans-Jürgen Commerell. Feireiss plays an
important role in deepening debates on architecture and urban development in Germany, and
thereby exerts a lasting influence on the awareness of the cultural and economic significance of this
art form around the world. As director of the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi) from 1996 to
2001, she called greater attention to the transformative processes which have affected European and
non-European cities beginning in 1989, and has carried out groundbreaking research in this area.
She has received the German Bundesverdienstkreuz am Band (Cross of the Order of Merit, 2001)
and the Wolfert van Borsel Medal in the Netherlands (2002). She has edited numerous monographs
and thematic volumes in the international architectural context and has been active as a juror in
many international competitions, including Beijing (2008), Master Plan for the Olympic Games
(2002) and the Mariinsky Opera, St. Petersburg (2003). Since 2007 she was appointed as a member
of the European Cultural Parliament.
Robert A.M. Stern (1939), Dean of the Yale School of Architecture, is a practicing architect, teacher,
and writer. Stern was the 2011 Driehaus Prize laureate and in 2008 received the tenth Vincent Scully
Prize from the National Building Museum. In 2007, he received the Athena Award from the
Congress for the New Urbanism and the Board of Directors' Honor from the Institute of Classical
Architecture and Art. Stern has lectured extensively in the United States and abroad on both
historical and contemporary topics in architecture. He was among the architects selected to
represent the United States at the Venice Biennale in 1976, 1980, and 1996.
Benedetta Tagliabue (Milan, Italy 1963) is an Italian architect, who lives and works in Barcelona.
Graduate of the University of Venice (IUAV) in 1989, in 1991 she joined Enric Miralles’ studio
where she subsequently became a partner. Recently she received the RIBA’s International
Fellowships for her particular contribution as a non-UK architect she has made to architecture
(2009) and an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Napier University (2004). In 2012 she has
taught at Graduate School of Design Harvard University besides being a lecturer nearly once a
month in architectural forums all over the world.
Alan Yentob (1947) is the Creative Director of the BBC and editor and presenter of the awardwinning
Imagine programme. He joined the BBC as a trainee in 1968, taking his first job in the
World Service. In 1985, Yentob became Head of Music and Arts and subsequently Controller of
BBC Two and of BBC One. He became Director of Programmes in 1997 and has been the BBC’s
Creative Director since 2004. Yentob is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British
Architects (RIBA) and was a founding member of the Architecture Foundation, alongside Richard
Rogers and Norman Foster. He is also Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art and of the
British Film Institute. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of Leeds and De Montfort
University.

la Biennale di Venezia
Awards of 13 th International Architecture Exhibition
Common Ground
Venice, August 29 th 2012 - The Jury of the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale
di Venezia composed of Wiel Arets (President, Netherlands), Kristin Feireiss (Germany), Robert
A.M. Stern (USA), Benedetta Tagliabue (Italy) and Alan Yentob (Great Britain) has decided to
confer the awards as follows:
Golden Lion for Best National Participation to Japan
Architecture possible here Home-for-All
Naoya Hatakeyama; Kumiko Inui; Sou Fujimoto; Akihisa Hirata
(Pavilion at Giardini)
Commissioner: Toyo Ito. Deputy Commissioners: Atsuko Sato, Tae Mori
Golden Lion for the Best Project of the Common Ground Exhibition to
Torre David / Gran Horizonte, 2012
Urban-Think Tank (Alfredo Brillembourg, Hubert Klumpner), Justin McGuirk and Iwan Baan
(exhibited at Corderie, Arsenale)
Silver Lion for a promising practice of the International Exhibition Common Ground
to Grafton Architects (Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara)
(Ireland, exhibit at Central Pavilion, Giardini)
Common Ground, 2012
The Jury has also decided to assign four Special Mentions:
Poland
Making the walls quake as if they were dilating with the secret knowledge of great powers
Katarzyna Krakowiak
(Pavilion at Giardini)
Commissioner: Hanna Wróblewska. Curator: Michał Libera
United States of America
Spontaneous Interventions: Design Actions for the Common Good
596 Acres; AFHny Studio; Mouna Andraos; Ants of the Prairie; Architecture for Humanity Chicago; Austin
Urban Solutions & Rosner Studio; Manuel Ávila; Baltimore Development Cooperative; Barkow Leibinger
Architects & Kyle Talbott; David Benjamin and Natalie Jeremijenko; BK Farmyards; BroLab; Brooklyn Night
Bazaar; Eduardo Cachucho; Center for Urban Pedagogy; Candy Chang; and Civic Center; Cheng+Snyder;
Chicago Loop Alliance; City Repair; City Fabric; Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative at Kent State
University; CMG Landscape Architecture; Come Out and Play; COMMONstudio; Graham Coreil-Allen;
Crookedworks; Nicholas de Monchaux; Department of Urban Betterment; Depave; Design 99; Design That
Moves You; Do Tank; DSGN AGNC, ENS_Projects; envelope A+D; Jason Eppink;
Jason Eppink and Posterchild; Free Agents Imbert and Meijerink; Free Art and Technology Laboratory
(F.A.T: Lab); Freecell; French 2Design; Futurefarmers; Evan Gant and Alex Tee; Ghana ThinkTank; GOOD;

Guerrilla Grafters; HabitatMap; Fritz Haeg; Hellmuth; Obata + Kassabaum; Hester Street Collaborative;
HOK; Howling Mob Society; ICE-POPS; Institute for Urban Design; Interboro Partners; International Design
Clinic; Jackson Heights Green Alliance; Kingshighway Vigilante Transitions; LA Department of DIY; LA
Green Grounds; Lang Architecture; Make It Right Foundation; Street Plans Collaborative; M12; Macro Sea,
MAS Studio, MIT Media Lab; Molly Dilworth Studio; Ken Mori & Jenny Liang; Eve Mosher; MyBlockNYC;
Neighborland; No Longer Empty; Normal Projects; Object Orange; Occupy Wall Street 8various, including
inflatable General Assembly and OWS Screenprinters’ Guild; OpenPlans; Philadelphia Horticultural Society;
PlanningCorps; Popularise; Public Architecture; Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science; Public
Media Institute; Alexandra Pulver; Rebar; Rebuild Foundation; Red Swing Project; Resource Center;
Rockwell Group; James Rojas; SanFranStudios; Sensemakers; Shared Spaces Landscape Architecture and
‘Hood Builders; SLO Architecture; Stamen; Streetfilms; Syracuse University School of Architecture; Team
Better Block; Matt Tomasulo/CityFabric; TreeKIT; TheUni Project with Howeler + Yoon Architecture; Urban
Operations; Urbano Activo; UrbanUXd; Rob Walker & Ellen Susan; Dave Winslow and Loring Sagan; Ed
Woodham; WORKac; youarethecity; Z-A Studio
(Pavilion at Giardini)
Commissioner/Curator: Cathy Lang Ho. Curators: Ned Cramer, David van der Leer.
Deputy Curators: Paola Antonelli, Anne Guiney, Zoe Ryan, Michael Sorkin
Russia
i-city
AREP; SPEECH Tchoban/Kuznetsov; David Chipperfield Architects; Valode& Pistre; Mohsen
Mostafavi; OMA; SANAA; Herzog& de Meuron; Stefano Boeri architetti; Project MEGANOM;
MDP/Michel Desvigne paysagiste; BERNASKONI architecture bureau
(Pavilion at Giardini)
Commissioner: Grigory Revzin. Curator: Sergei Tchoban. Deputy Curators: Sergey Kuznetsov,
Valeria Kashirina
Cino Zucchi
(Milan, Italy, exhibit at Corderie, Arsenale)
Copycat. Empatia e invidia come generatori di forma, 2012
The Awards Ceremony of the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition will take place today,
Wednesday August 29 th 2012 in the Giardini at noon. The Board of la Biennale di Venezia, chaired
by Paolo Baratta, is also awarding Golden Lions for Lifetime Achievement under director David
Chipperfield’s proposal to:
Álvaro Siza Vieira
The motivations of the International Jury
Golden Lion for the Best National Participation
The Golden Lion for the Best National Participation, which captures the spirit of Common Ground,
is awarded to the Japanese Pavilion in which leading international architect Toyo Ito collaborated
with younger architects and with the local community to address in a practical and imaginative
way the design of a new centre for a region devastated by a national disaster.
The presentation and the storytelling in the Pavilion are exceptional and highly accessible to a
broad audience. The jury was impressed with the humanity of this project.

Golden Lion for the Best Project of the International Exhibition Common Ground
The Golden Lion for the Best Project embodying the theme of Common Ground goes to Torre David
/ Gran Horizonte by Urban-Think Tank (Alfredo Brillenbourg, Hubert Klumpner) and Justin
McGuirk and to the people of Caracas and their families who created a new community and a
home out of an abandoned and unfinished building.
The jury praised the architects for recognizing the power of this transformational project. An
informal community created a new home and a new identity by occupying Torre David and did so
with flair and conviction. This initiative can be seen as an inspirational model acknowledging the
strength of informal societies.
Silver Lion for a promising practice of the International Exhibition Common Ground
The Silver Lion of the International Exhibition Common Ground is awarded to Grafton Architects
(Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara) as a promising and emerging practice. For their
impressive presentation of a new University campus in Lima, connecting to the ideas of Paulo
Mendes da Rocha. The jury believes that the conceptual and spatial qualities of this installation
demonstrate the considerable potential of this architectural practice in reimagining the urban
landscape.
Special mention goes to Poland for ‘Making the walls quake as if they were dilating with the
secret knowledge of great powers’. This brave and bold installation reminds the visitor to listen as
well as to look... And to feel the sound of the Common Ground.
Special mention goes to the United States of America for ‘Spontaneous Interventions: Design
Actions for the Common Good’. This interactive installation impressed the Jury with its
celebration of the power of individuals to change society in small but effective ways. The
unpretentiously simple presentation was a delight.
Special mention goes to Russia for ‘i-city’. The ‘i-city’ takes a dialectic approach to Russia’s past,
present and future and in the process turns us all into digital spies. The jury was drawn into this
magical mystery tour and beguiled by its visual presentation.
Special mention goes to Cino Zucchi for an installation which ‘aims to evoke a complex network
of relationships that shape our physical environment’. The jury believes that this serves as an
exemplary reminder of the all-embracing theme of the Common Ground Exhibition.
For further information
Press Office Architecture
la Biennale di Venezia
Ph. +39 041 – 5218846/849
e-mail: infoarchitettura@labiennale.org
www.labiennale.org
IMAGES of the 13 th Exhibition can be
downloaded from this link:
http://ftp.labiennale.org
Account: biennale2012
Password: arch2012

Biennale Sessions
For the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition, la Biennale di Venezia addresses universities,
academies of fine arts and secondary schools with a special project.
- la Biennale di Venezia looks at the Exhibition as the place where universities, academies of fine
arts, secondary schools as well as research institutes can plan a visit especially designed for their
educational activities;
- la Biennale di Venezia aims at providing these institutions with favorable conditions to organize
such visits.
La Biennale offers each group of 50 persons (teachers and students included) belonging to one
single institution:
a. a 20 € special pass per student giving access to the Exhibition venues for three consecutive
days;
b. a location, free of charge, for a seminar to be organised by the same institution in one of the
Exhibition’s venues, together with their facilities (the press preview days are not included);
c. special access conditions during the Architecture Exhibition for all the events and initiatives
organized by Music, Theater and Cinema Sectors;
d. a packet lunch at a discounted price during the three-days period in the Exhibition’s snack areas
and restaurants;
e. help in organizing your stay with la Biennale’s affiliated operators;
f. participation to conferences and other events organized by la Biennale in the Exhibition’s
venues;
g. a special promotion and communication plan, including links to the web pages of the
participating universities.
Information
Educational and Promotion
la Biennale di Venezia
San Marco 1364/a - 30124 Venezia
Ph. +39 041 5218 828
F. +39 041 5218 732
biennale.sessions@labiennale.org
FB. La Biennale di Venezia
@twitter.com/la_Biennale

Italian and foreign universities already affiliated:
ITALY
1. Venice International University Venice
2. Università Ca' Foscari Venezia Venice
3. Università IUAV di Venezia Venice
4. Università degli studi di Trento, Facoltà di Ingegneria Trento
5. Università degli Studi di Parma, Dip. BBCC Parma
6. Università degli Studi di Parma, Facoltà di Architettura Parma
7. Università Politecnico di Milano Milan
8. Università degli Studi di Pavia, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile Pavia
9. Università degli Studi di Milano Milan
10. Università degli Studi di Genova, Facoltà di Architettura Genoa
11. Università degli Studi di Camerino, Sc. di Architettura e Design Camerino
12. Università degli Studi “G. D’Annunzio” di Chieti-Pescara,
Facoltà di Architettura
Chieti-Pescara
13. Università degli Studi di Perugia, Facoltà di Ingegneria Perugia
14. Sapienza Università di Roma, Facoltà di Architettura Rome
15.Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Facoltà di Architettura
Rome
16. Associazione Cinemavvenire Rome
17. Università Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, Facoltà di Architettura Reggio Calabria
18. Seconda Università di Napoli, Facoltà di Architettura L. Vanvitelli Naples
19. Università Federico II di Napoli, Dipart. di Filosofia “A. Aliotta” Naples
20. Università degli Studi di Salerno, Facoltà di Ingegneria Civile Salerno
21. Università degli studi di Enna “Kore” Enna
22. Politecnico di Torino Turin
23. Università della Calabria, Facoltà di Ingegneria Cosenza
FOREIGN
24. Architectural Association School of Architecture, London UK
25. Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, Aberdeen UK
26. Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences, Düsseldorf Germany
27. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) , Karlsruhe Germany
28. Technical University Munich, Munich Germany
29.University of Bremen, School of Architecture
Germany
30.University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg
Germany
31. Muenster University of Applied Sciences Germany
32. Leibniz University of Hannover, Hannover Germany
33. Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Toulouse, Toulouse France
34. Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, Parigi France
35. ETH, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurigo Switzerland
36. Berne University of Applied Sciences Switzerland
37. Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), Budapest Hungary
38. Umea School of Architecture, Umea Sweden
39. KTH, Royal Institute of Technology, Stoccolma Sweden
40. Technische Universiteit Delft, Delft The Netherlands
41. Ljubljana University, Ljubljana Slovenia
42. Technical University Graz, Insitute for Construction Austria
43. Technical University Graz, Institut für Gebäudelehre Austria
44. Linz University of Art and Design Austria

45. University of Aalborg, Aalborg Denmark
46. Kopenhagen School of Design and Technology Denmark
47. University of Patras, Patras Greece
48. Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Lisbona Portugal
49. University of Oslo Norway
50. Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca, campus de Madrid/Fundación Spain
Pablo VI, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura
51. Univ. of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Fac. of Archit. of Donostia Spain
S.Sebastian
52. Facultad de arq.Universidad tecnologica equinoccial, Quito Ecuador
53. University College Dublin, School of Architecture Ireland
54. Ryerson University, Fac. Of architecture and Science, Ontario Canada
55. University of Stuttgart, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Design Germany
56. Debrecen University Hungary
57. Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Jerusalem Israel
The Project sees also the participation of the below universities thanks to combined programs:
1. Universitat Polytècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona Spain
2. Reus – Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona Spain
3. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim Norway
4. Newcastle University, Newcastle UK

Educational Program
The Venice Biennale in recent years has given increasing importance to the training in
different forms, developing a strong commitment to activities known as "Educational". The
training activity is intended for the exhibition's public, universities, youth and school children of
all levels.
In the last two years, with the 12 th International Architecture Exhibition and the 54 th International
Art Exhibition the people involved were 67.261 overall, the young involved in the educational
activities were 44.842.
Even in 2012 a wide offer of educational initiatives is expected, the proposals are aimed at
individuals, groups of students of all levels and degree, professionals, companies, experts, an
informed public and families. The initiatives, held by selected operators trained by the Biennale di
Venezia, aim at the total involvement of the participants, and are divided into Guided Itineraries
and Workshop Activities.
- The Guided Itineraries accompany visitors through the exhibition spaces of the 13 th
International Architecture Exhibition and are open and participatory in nature; they are
particularly suited to secondary school of second grade, informed visitors and an adult
public in general. They are divided into guided visits, in-depth itineraries and thematic
itineraries.
- The Workshop activities are aimed at every kind of public, with particular attention for the
young and children and the educational world; they focus on a stimulating, interactive
approach encouraging creativity and the capacity to re-elaborate the contents individually.
They are divided into multimedia workshops, using computer tools, and multidisciplinary
workshops, to delve into music and architecture language, theoretical and practical
workshops, to stimulate creativity with manual activities, and creative ateliers, to involve
families in recreational and practice initiatives.
The educational proposal is further enriched with special projects focused on the challenges of
creativity and innovation, approaching the themes of the Exhibition through specific professional
or scientific interests. Such projects are especially suited for companies, professionals and experts,
stressing the role of the Exhibition in updating and broadening one’s competence and sensibility.
The Biennale di Venezia educational activities are realized thanks to the support of Venice
Chamber of Commerce.
Available in Italian and in the main foreign languages.
Booking required, average duration 1h 45’- 2 hours.
The service is fee-paying, entry ticket not included.

For schools the Biennale di Venezia organizes upon booking, subject to availability, free transport
services from the school to Venice, by Biennale Bus, and to Giardini Biennale with a boat service,
by Biennale Vap.
For the first time a special Family Area will be available within the new Educational Area at the
“Tese dei Soppalchi”: a space furnished to offer parents and children a moment of relaxation.
At the entrance of the Arsenale, next to the cloakroom, 6 > 36 months courtesy strollers and baby
carriers (up to 9kg) will be available for free during the whole opening time of the Exhibition.
In both venues, changing tables, bottle warmers and tables with facilities for families will be
available at cafeterias.
For further Information
Educational and Promotion
Ph. +39 041 5218 828
promozione@labiennale.org

Press Release
The Italian Pavilion
at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition
la Biennale di Venezia
THE FOUR SEASONS
Architecture for the ‘Made in Italy’ system, from Adriano Olivetti to the Green Economy
curated by Luca Zevi
Venice, Tese delle Vergini at the Arsenale, from 29 August to 25 November 2012
This year is not like others. The Italian Pavilion at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition, the Venice
Biennale, must put itself at the centre of this difference and become an occasion for reflecting on the
relationship between economic crisis, architecture and land. It must be a space where a project for our
country’s growth can be imagined, the ‘common ground’ must be translated into a solid, visionary project in
which culture and economy enter into a new agreement.
This is the ‘due premiss’ of Luca Zevi, chosen by General Direction for Landscape, Fine Arts, Architecture
and Contemporary Art of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities as the curator of the Italian Pavilion
at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition.
The project unfolds like the account of a possible meeting, the rewriting of an ‘agreement’ - shared place
and possible space - in which the rationale of architecture, the land and the environment communicate with
that of economic development. A ‘common ground’ between business and architecture as inescapable
requisite for recovery.
The story describes the ‘four seasons’ of architecture for the ‘Made in Italy’ system along its
bumpy and fertile pathway, in search of a virtuous relationship between architecture, growth and
innovation.
1st season: Adriano Olivetti nostalgia for the future
It is a pathway that can only begin with Adriano Olivetti’s work in postwar Italy as the paradigm
of a development model in which industrial politics, social politics and cultural promotion come
together to propose an innovative direction for planning changes to the land. It was a unique
experience for the times and the context, which because of its relevance induces a positive ‘nostalgia for the
future’.
Olivetti was an innovator in the way he did business and in his vision of the world, his choices and his
principles. He was convinced that ‘doing business’ cannot stray from an ethical and responsible attitude to
the workers and the area that houses the factories. A lover of the avant-garde in art and architecture, he
involved all the most talented architects and designers of the 1950s, making every industrial complex into a
work of art. Ivrea became the place for testing a virtuous ‘factory city’, considered an experimental module
of a possible regional development.
The Pavilion opens with this story because Olivetti’s vision - which kept architecture, economics and the land
together - may become the key point on which to begin rewriting the future of the country.
2nd season: the assault on the land
Starting from the 1980s, with the widespread entrepreneurial fervour following the loss of major
industries from Italy, there was a kind of ‘assault’ on the land by projects that were very vigorous in
terms of production, but wholly disinterested in any form of architectural expression or appropriate insertion
in the landscape. This was the period of production ‘in the stair cupboard or warehouse, often dressed up
with a house in Swiss chalet style’, the zero point of architecture for the ‘Made in Italy’ system.
3rd season: architecture for the ‘Made in Italy’ system
In the last 15 years some ‘Made in Italy’ companies - marked by an ‘Olivetti typology’ in
dimension and specialised production - have decided to build their factories and head offices to

first class architectural designs. The result is buildings that pay heed to the poetics of the places and the
objects, to the lives of people and to environmental sensitivity, documented - and ‘narrated’ - in the
exhibition. Doing ‘virtuous’ business also in imagining the production places and marketing is helping to
create new landscapes.
The exhibition is transformed into a pathway of discovery, knowledge and reflection on architectural and
planning works for the ‘Made in Italy’ system. The sense of the perspective lies in their action: industry that
asks architecture for the outline of the places, the everyday, its own identity.
4th season: reMade in Italy
The challenge of the ‘fourth season’ - the systemisation of ‘Made in Italy’ companies in the
direction of a Green Economy - is fated to meet the challenge of Expo 2015 ‘Nourish the Planet’,
which will be an extraordinary opportunity for reflecting on the relationship between land and environment,
city and agricultural production, and the sense of ‘design’ in the north and south of the world. Nutrition,
which will be the hub of Expo 2015, prompts further analysis of the sustainable community concept: the
relationship between city and countryside, industrialisation and agricultural production.
The Italian Pavilion thus becomes a place where designers, businessmen and politicians begin to seriously
look at the questions of living, in anticipation of an era when the obsession with the megalopolis must leave
room for new rules inspired by the community, in which nourishment, moving and living become functions of
the same equation.
Some recent Italian experiments that move in this direction will be illustrated: upgrading of towns by
inserting new-generation production activities; rethinking of public spaces aimed at a city on a child’s
dimension, which become the parameter of the quality of life in urban spaces, in an attempt to rethink the
city as an eminently public place.
A sustainable Italian Pavilion
The Italian Pavilion does not restrict itself to asserting a new way of living, but tries to offer a
kind of prototype of a different type of housing, which keeps together the culture of the environment
and the Green Economy. Multimedia tools and innovative technology will allow the visitor to interact with the
story, to ask questions, to virtually meet the main characters in the story being told. Interaction with
animated elements - holograms, virtual people and videos - will mark every stage of the narrative.
Conversations, interviews and performances will occupy the space every day.
The L'Italia Riciclata work by Michelangelo Pistoletto, created for the Italian Pavilion in the Giardino
delle Vergini, will be a metaphorical center of energy and physical meeting place.
ITALIAN PAVILION PRESS CONFERENCE
Tuesday 28 August, 12 pm
Please send an email to chiaralunardelli@gmail.com
Access to the exhibition spaces at the Arsenale requires accreditation from the Biennale.
press releases and images available at the following link (the website is constantly updated):
https://sites.google.com/site/padiglione2012/
USER: pad.italia2012@gmail.com
PW: italia2012
OPENING OF THE ITALIAN PAVILION
Tuesday 28 August, 5 pm
Italian Pavilion 13th International Architecture Exhibition
Curator
Luca Zevi, padiglione.italia.zevi@gmail.com
International Press Office
Chiara Lunardelli, M. +39 349 2559976, chiaralunardelli@gmail.com, skype: chiaroru
Italian Press Office
Valeria Alemà Regazzoni, M. + 39 348 3902070, valeria.regazzoni@gmail.com
Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities
General Direction for Landscape, Fine Arts, Architecture and Contemporary Art
Director General PaBAAC - Italian Pavilion Commissioner
Maddalena Ragni
Contemporary Art and Architecture Director
Maria Grazie Bellisario, mariagrazia.bellisario@beniculturali.it
Communication
Alessandra Pivetti, alessandra.pivetti@beniculturali.it, M. +39 366 6482897

“Nicholas Hawksmoor: Methodical Imaginings”
13 th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia
Padiglione Venezia August 29 th - November 25 th 2012
On the occasion of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, Louis
Vuitton presents “Nicholas Hawksmoor: Methodical Imaginings” inside the Venice Pavilion.
The exhibition is one of the various expressions of Louis Vuitton’s long lasting relations with the world
of art and architecture. It is also a tribute to the City of Venice and to its Venice Pavilion which was
restored with the support of Louis Vuitton last year.
Nicholas Hawksmoor: Methodical Imaginings focuses on a series of important churches built in
London by the English architect Nicholas Hawksmoor (1661-1736) during the early part of the 18 th
Century. Although Hawksmoor is recognized as one of the major contributors to the traditions of
British and European architectural culture, there is insufficient visual documentation and analysis of his
work. This exhibition, which is organized by Louis Vuitton and curated by Mohsen Mostafavi, Dean of
the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, features the work of the architectural photographer,
Hélène Binet, and attempts to remedy this shortcoming.
The images of construction of Hawksmoor’s churches show a surprising visual and narrative variety
that is nevertheless instantly recognizable as the consistent work of a brilliant and inspired mind. The
key distinguishing features of Hawksmoor’s churches are their spires, each designed with different
qualities and motifs. The spires, akin to Pope Sixtus V’s obelisks of Rome, rose throughout the city and
became major urban markers. While Hawksmoor’s churches were built for specific locations and
communities, they were also part of a much larger and ambitious project for the building of some fifty
new churches across the city.
These groups of structures are therefore also exemplars of a much larger urban network of buildings.
The architecture of the spires, and of the buildings more generally, is the result of a fusion between
fantasy and rationality, imagination and method. Hawksmoor delved into the ancient history of
architecture as catalyst for his imagination.
Hawksmoor’s churches demonstrate the synthesis of his imaginative reconstructions of the ancient
world, which he never visited, and methodical inspiration gained from his knowledge of contemporary

scientific developments. They also pay homage to the idea of urban reorganization and the
restructuring of London, which was first conceived by an earlier generation of architects such as
Evelyn, Hooke, and Wren. For Hawksmoor, both the development of the churches and the renewal of
the city must have carried an element of wonder that linked the present with an imagined past.
Hélène Binet has been commissioned to document various aspects of Hawksmoor’s remaining London
churches. Her immaculate black and white large format photographs demonstrate the beauty of
Hawksmoor’s architecture with special attention to the variety of scales, sites, interiors, textures and
materials. The contemporary character of these photographs and their exploration of innovative and
subtle architectural qualities are consistent with Louis Vuitton’s belief in the importance and cultural
value of architecture.
The exhibition also celebrates the connections between Hawksmoor’s structures and the city by
conceiving the interior of the Venice Pavilion as an analogical site of London. Digitally conceived,
resin models of the spires hang inside the pavilion in a similar relationship to that of their actual
locations around the city. For the visitor, the juxtaposition of the large format photographs and the
small pristine models will create a sense of scalar disjunction between the buildings and the city,
between close-ups and distant views. This visceral and experiential idea of architecture also bears
similarity to how Louis Vuitton has considered the appearance of its buildings.
It is only fitting that the work of this distinctive English architect should be now shown in Venice, a
city known for its remarkable architecture and for its unique ways of combining construction,
materials, and imagination
In collaboration with: Comune di Venezia
Production: LOUIS VUITTON
Commissioner: Madile Gambier
Curator of the Pavillion: Renzo Dubbini
Curator of the exhibition: Mohsen Mostafavi
Exhibitors: Mohsen Mostafavi and Hélène Binet
For further information:
Ufficio Stampa LOUIS VUITTON
Cecilia Puliga /Francesco Affaitato
Tel.: + 39 02 72 33 42 44
E-mail: c.puliga@it.vuitton.com
E-mail: f.affaitato@it.vuitton.com

Common Ground
National Participations
Participants, Commissioners, Curators, Venues
ALBANIA
IN HERITAGE
Edvana Vangjeli, Ilir Voci, Enejda Seraj, Gjergj Bakallbashi, Rezarta Pilafi, Lelja Hadzic,
Gearda Demiraj, Kreshnik Merxhani, Elena Mamani, Frederica Pompejano, Valentina Calgano,
Brion Basha, Marvi Basha, GRIMSHAW Architects, Eva Hoxha, Dorian Tytymce, Erald Ceku,
Shpresa Prifti, Bashkim Penxha, Aida Shllaku, Elian Stefa, Gyler Mydyti, Niku Alex Mucaj,
Elisabetta Teragni, Jeffrey Schnapp, Daniele Ledda, Maks Velo, Artan Shabani, Dritan Zajmi.
Commissioner: Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports. Curator: Ilir Voci. Deputy Curator:
Eno Kotmilo. Venue: UNESCO, Palazzo Zorzi, Castello 4930
ANGOLA *
Beyond Entropy Angola
Beyond Entropy Ltd
Commissioner: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Angola. Curators: Stefano Rabolli Pansera,
Paula Nascimiento. Venue: Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore
ARGENTINA
Argentina: identitad en la diversidad
Commissioner: Magdalena Faillace. Curator: Clorindo Testa. Deputy Curators: Hernán Bisman,
Enrique Cordeyro. Scientific Committee: Direccion General de Asuntos Culturales de la Cancillería
Argentina in collaborazione con Federacion Argentina de Entidades de Arquitectos (FADEA),
Sociedad Central de Arquitectos (SCA), Consejo Profesional de Arquitectura y Urbanismo
(CPAU), Direccion Nacional de Arquitectura del Ministerio de Planificacion Federal de la nacion
Argentina, Bienal de Arquitectura de Buenos Aires, Centro de Documentacion de Arquitectura
Latinoamericana (CEDODAL), Museo de Arquitectura de la SCA (MARQ). Venue: Sale d’Armi
Nord, Arsenale
AUSTRALIA
Formations: New Practices in Australian Architecture
Healthabitat (Paul Pholeros, Stephan Rainow, Paul Torzillo); Supermanoeuvre (Dave Pigram,
Iain Maxwell, Chris Duffield); Richard Goodwin Pty Ltd (Richard Goodwin); Maribor 2012
European Cultural Capital 2112 2112 Ai : 100 YC ((Year city)) (Tom Kovac, Fleur Watson); The
Architects Radio Show (Stuart Harrison, Simon Knott, Christine Phillips, Rory Hyde); Archrival
(Claire McCaughan, Lucy Humphrey)
Commissioner: Janet Holmes à Court AC. Curators: Anthony Burke and Gerard Reinmuth in
conjunction with TOKO Concept Design (Michael Lugmayr, Eva Dijkstra). Venue: Pavilion at
Giardini
AUSTRIA
hands have no tears to flow...
Wolfgang Tschapeller
Commissioner: Arno Ritter. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini

BAHRAIN, Kingdom of
Background
Deena Fakhro; Rashad Faraj; Frances Stafford; Hassan Hujairi; Kavi Kittani; MASMARDI
(Maan Saloum and Dalia El Mardi); Francesco Librizzi; Matilde Cassani; Stefano Tropea; Eman
Ali; Camille Zakharia; Mohammed Bu Ali
Commissioner: Ministry of Culture, Mai Al Khalifa. Curator: Noura Al-Sayeh. Venue: Pavilion at
Arsenale
BELGIUM
The Ambition of the Territory
Architecture Workroom Brussels; Studio Joost Grootens; GRAU; architecten De Vylder Vinck
Taillieu and Ante Timmermans, Diewertje Komen, Roel van Tour
Commissioners: Flemish Minister of Environment, Nature and Culture, Joke Schauvliege. Deputy
Commissioners: Christoph Grafe, Flemish Architecture institute and Peter Swinnen , The Flemish
Government Architect's Team. Curators: Architecture Workroom Brussels, Studio Joost Grootens,
GRAU, architecten De Vylder Vinck Taillieu and Ante Timmermans. Deputy Curator: Joachim
Declerck (Architecture Workroom Brussels). Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
BRAZIL
con Vivência: Lucio Costa and Marcio Kogan
Lucio Costa; Marcio Kogan.
Commissioner: Heitor Martins. Curator: Lauro Cavalcanti. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
CANADA
Migrating Landscapes
Migrating Landscapes (5468796 Architecture + Jae-Sung Chon); Amirali Javidan, IMu Chan,
Mira Yung; Olena Chytra, Philipp Dittus, Alana Green, Katy Young; D’Arcy Jones; Tiffany
Shaw-Collinge; April Hiebert, Brad Pickard, Robyn Robertson, Sony Mark Sin, Victoria Yong-
Hing; Jason Hare; Travis Cooke, Jason Kun; Andre Silva, Chris Gilmour, Kory Kaspersion;
Andrew Batay-Csorba, Jodi Batay-Csorba; Erica Pecoskie, George Simionopoulos; Kfir
Gluzberg, Liana Bresler; Enrique Enriquez; Felix Tue; Jean-Nicolas Bouchard, Philippe Charest;
Anca Matyiku, Chad Connery; Marianna de Cola; Stephen Kopp, Monica Adair, John Leroux,
Jessie Croll, Alicia Halas
Commissioners/Curators: Migrating Landscapes (5468796 Architecture + Jae-Sung Chon). Venue:
Pavilion at Giardini
CHILE
Cancha: Chilean soilscapes
Alejandro Aravena (Elemental); Germán del Sol; Pedro Alonso; Juan Pablo Corvalán (Susuka);
Iván Ivelic; Genaro Cuadros; Rodrigo Tisi
Commissioner: Cristóbal Molina Baeza. Curators: María Pilar Pinchart Saavedra, Bernardo Valdés
Echenique. Venue: Pavilion at Isolotto, Arsenale
CHINA, People’s Republic of China
Originaire
Shao Weiping(BIAD-UFo); Tao Na; Wei Chunyu; Wang Yun; Xu Dongliang
Commissioner: Zhang Yu, Yan Dong. Curater: Fan Zhenning. Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale

CROATIA
Unmediated Democracy Demands Unmediated Space
Pulska grupa with: Igor Bezinovic, Boris Cvjetanovic, Sinisa Labrovic
Commissioner/Curator: Tomislav Pavelić. Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale
CYPRUS, Republic of
REVISIT - customizing tourism
Charis Christodoulou; Spyros Th. Spyrou
Commissioner: Petros Dymiotis. Deputy Commissioners: Angela Skordi, Roscianach Habibi Minelli.
Curators: Charis Christodoulou; Spyros Th. Spyrou. Scientific Committee: Christos Hadjichristou,
Aimilios Michael, Vera Parlalidou, Ntinos Sciakalis, Chrysanthos Pissarides, Odysseas
Kontovourkis, Nasso Chrysochou, Giorgos Artopoulos. Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale
CZECH REPUBLIC and SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Asking architecture
4AM forum for architecture and media (Tomáš Hlaváček, Petra Hlaváčková, Jakub Kopec, Šárka
Svobodová, Barbora Šedivá and Szymon Rozwałka); 13m3 (Mária Čorejová, Marian Lukačka,
Mária Rišková and Milan Mikula, Ján Triaška); Atrakt art (Barbora Šedivá, Alexandra
Gojdičová; Zuzana Duchová, Slavomír Krekovič); Anna Cséfalvay; Tomáš Džadoň; The Garden
(Peter Michalík); rese arch (Ján Pernecký with Barbora Šedivá, Ľubomír Panák, Braňo Matis,
Matúš Lelovský, Natália Veľká, Michal Lošonký, Marian Lukačka); H3T architekti (Štěpán
Řehoř, Vít Šimek); Marek Kvetán; Pavlína Morháčová; OFFCITY (Josef Čevora, Jiří Dobeš,
Tereza Dvořáková, Ondřej Teplý; František Radek Václavík, Tomáš Votoček, Šárka Zahálková);
PBlog (Peter Lényi, Pavla Lényiová, Ondrej Kurek Ivana Rumanová Barbora Uríková, Martina
Tomaníková, Lenka Zábovská); Platform 1-12 (Zuzana Godálová, Július Krištof, Katarína
Halmová, Martin Matiáš, Jana Bezáková, Jana Kianičková Godálová, Matej Lacko and Daniela
Krajčová); Stadlnova; Kateřina Šedá; Štokovec/BANSKÁ ST A NICA Contemporary (Zuzana
Bodnárová, Svätopluk Mikyta) tab_lab/BUNKA for contemporary culture (Daniel Dida, Juraj
Gábor, Martina Kalusová, Ľudmila Horňáková and Lucia Mičíková); Truc sphérique/Stanica
Žilina-Záriečie (Dušan Dobiaš, Marek Adamov); The Východné Pobrežie (Michal Hladký, Mišo
Hudák And Jozef Tušan)
Commissioner: Monika Palčová. Curator: Ján Pernecký. Deputy Curator: Barbora Šedivá, Venue:
Pavilion at Giardini
DANIMARCA
Possible Greenland
Minik Rosing; NORD Architects; TNT Nuuk; Clement & Carlsen Architects; Qarsoq tegnestue;
Tegnestuen Nuuk; KITAA Architects; Elkiær & Ebbeskov Architects; Hausenberg; Tegnestuen
Vandkunsten; BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group (Julie Edel Hardenberg, Inuk Silis Høegh); David
Garcia Studio; Henning Larsen Architects; Terroir; Boris Brorman Jensen; Conditions Magazine;
Aarhus School of Architecture; Cebra; Transform; The Technical University of Denmark DTU
Managem Arctic Engineer by Sanaartornermik Ilinniarfik in Sisimiut Greenland; DTU
Management Engineering; Bolatta Silis Høegh
Commissioner: Kent Martinussen. Curators: Minik Rosing, NORD Architects (Johannes Pedersen,
Morten Rask Gregersen). Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
EGYPT
Tariq Al-Murri; Gamal Amer
Commissioner: Gamal Amer. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini

ESTONIA
How Long is the Life of a Building
Tüüne-Kristin Vaikla; Urmo Vaikla; Ingel Vaikla; Veronika Valk; Maria Pukk; Ivar Lubjak
Commissioner: Ülar Mark. Curator: Tüüne-Kristin Vaikla. Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale
FINLAND (Pavilion Alvar Aalto)
New Forms in Wood
ALA Architects; Avanto Architects; Eero Lundén; Markus Wikar; K2S Architects; Lassila
Hirvilammi Architects; Wood Program; Aalto University
Commissioner/ Curator: Juulia Kauste. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
FRANCE
Grands & Ensembles
Ateliers Lion associés, ENSAvt, CMI and Institut d’Études politiques de Paris, Campana- Eleb
Sablic agency, Eric Lion
Commissioner: Yves Lion. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
GEORGIA
Cultural Identity and Innovation in the City Context
Nikoloz Abashidze; Nodar Amashukeli; David Abuladze; Besarion Tatishvili; Irakli Abashidze;
Dimitri Shapakidze; Sharashidze Irakli; Merab Bochoidze
Commissioner: David Abuladze. Curators: Nikoloz Abashidze, Besarion Tatishvili, Nodar
Amashukeli. Venue: Riva degli Schiavon, Castello 2145
GERMANY
Architecture as Resource
AFF Architekten; Atelier Kempe Thill architects and planners; AMUNT Architekten Martenson
und Nagel Theissen; Brandlhuber+Era, emde, Schneider; Brandlhuber+ Emde, Schneider;
Diener & Diener; Heinle, Wischer und Partner; Hild und K Architekten; knerer und lang
Architekten; Architects Urbanists; Meixner Schlüter Wendt Architekten; Robertneun; Schulz
& Schulz Architekten; Staab Architekten; Urs Füssler/Jörg Leeser
Commissioner/Curator: Muck Petzet. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
GREAT BRITAIN
Venice Takeaway
aberrant architecture; Smout, Allen and BLDGBLOG; Ross Anderson and Anna Gibb; Darryl
Chen (tomorrow’s thoughts today) in association with Hawkins \ Brown; dRMM; Forum for
Alternative Belfast; public works, Urban Projects Bureau, Owen Pritchard; Elias Redstone; Liam
Ross & Tolulope Onabolu; Takero Shimazaki/Toh Shimazaki Architecture
Commissioner/Deputy Curator: Vicky Richardson. Deputy Curator: Vanessa Norwood. Venue:
Pavilion at Giardini

GREECE
Made In Athens
Andreas Angelidakis; ANTONAS Office; Aesopos Architecture; AREA Architecture Research
Athens; buerger katsota architects; decaARCHITECTURE; draftworks*; point Supreme
Architects; C. Louizidis & A. N. Glinou; D. Michalakis; A. Frantzis; D. & S. Antonakakis; T.
Argyropoulos & C. Decavallas; Atelier Bow Wow; Bertaki / C. Loukopoulou / C. Paniyiris; b.,
BIG; Boyd Cody Architects; Divercity; doxiadis+; P. Dragonas & V. Christopoulou, D. Fatouros;
FOR A; C. Gkikas & E. Filtsou; ISV Architects; Klab Architecture; K. Krokos, ksestudio,
N. Ktenas; I. Liapis & E. Scroumbelos; Μ. Nikoloutsou & M. Filippidis; Solid Objectives -
Idenburg Liu; D. Sotovikis / A. Sotovikis / C. Batziou; tense architecture network; N.
Valsamakis; I. Vikelas; Τ. Ch. Zenetos; KM Properties
Commissioners/Curators: Panos Dragonas, Anna Skiada. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
HUNGARY
Spacemaker
International Antal Kelle students of architecture
Commissioner: Gábor Gulyás. Curators: Bálint Bachmann, Balázs Markó. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
IRELAND
SHIFTING GROUND (Beyond National Architecture)
heneghan peng architects (Róisín Heneghan and Shih-Fu Peng) with Andreas Dopfer, Joseph
Swan, Holger Falter, Salam Al Sabah, ChunMan Tang
Commissioner: Elizabeth Francis. Curator: John McLaughlin. Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale
ISRAEL
Aircraft Carrier
Fernando Guerra; Florian Holzherr; Nira Pereg; Jan Tichy; Assaf Evron
Commissioners: Michael Gov, Arad Turgeman. Curators: Milana Gitzin-Adiram, Erez Ella, Dan
Handel. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
ITALY
The Four Seasons
The Ministry for the Cultural Heritage and Activities
PaBAAC - General Direction for the landscape, fine arts, architecture and contemporary art
la Biennale di Venezia
Commissioner: Maddalena Ragni, General Director of PaBAAC. Curator: Luca Zevi. Venue: Italian
Pavilion, Tese of Vergini at Arsenale
JAPAN
Architecture possible here Home-for-All
Naoya Hatakeyama; Kumiko Inui; Sou Fujimoto; Akihisa Hirata
Commissioner: Toyo Ito. Deputy Commissioners: Atsuko Sato, Tae Mori. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
KOREA, Republic of
Walk in Architecture
Taeman Kim; Hyunsu Kim; Seung Hong Park; Jean Taek Park; YoungWook O; Changki Yun;
Sang Leem Lee; Jong Ruhl Hahn
Commissioner: Kim Byung Yoon. Deputy Commissioners: Yoo Hyunjoon, Jeon Young Hoon, Peter
Winston Ferretto. Curators: Hee Jun Lee, Eun Jeong Kim. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini

KOSOVO, Republic of *
The Filigree Maker
Commissioner: Bekim Ramku. Curator: Perparim Rama. Scientific Committees: Eliza Hoxha, Teuta
Jashari Kajtazi, Valdet Osmani. Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale
KUWAIT *
kethra
Dana Behbahani; Ruba Alsaleh; Alia Alazza; Osama Hadeed; Rayah Alsabah; Musaed Khaled;
Meqdad Alkout; Nejood Alnaseem; Faisal Alfouzan; Noorah Alhasan; Fatma Alqabandi; Roa
Alshaheen; Hessa Amin; Abdulatif Aladwani; Dhari Aljutaili; Zainab Alhader; Yahya Ali;
Tareq Aljassem; Sara Alnafesi; Hussa Alhumaidhi; Hasan Ali; Batool Ashour; Lulu Al-awadhi;
Dalal Al-Hashash; Bader Abdulaziz; Tasawar Bashir; Dana Al-Hasan; Abdulaziz AlKandari;
Sarah Alzouman; Taibah AlQatami; Brian Duffy; Sulaiman Albader; Tarek Jammal
Commissioner: National Council of Culture, Arts, Letters State of Kuwait. Curator: Zahra Ali Baba.
Deputy Curators: Deema Alghunaim, Ricardo Camacho. Scientific Committee: Ali Alkhaled Venue:
Pavilion at Arsenale
LATVIA
Inner Freedom. Riga street in Venice
“Other Side Studio” Other Side Studio((Aksels Bruks, Kristaps Kleinbergs, Edgars Rožkalns,
Helvijs Savickis, Austra Stupel) with Līga Apine and Ieva Kulakova
Commissioner: Andris Kronbergs. Curator: Ieva Kulakova. Deputy Curator: Andris Brinkmanis.
Venue: Campo San Zaccaria
LUXEMBOURG, Grand Duchy of
Futura bold Post-city: considering the Luxemburg case
Philippe Nathan; Yi-der Chou; Radim Louda
Commissioner: Fondation de l'Architecture et de l'Ingénierie au Luxembourg (Christian Bauer,
Tatiana Fabeck, Mathias Fritsch, Stefano Moreno, Andrea Rumpf). Venue: Cà del Duca, San Marco
3052
MACEDONIA, Former Yugoslavian Republic of
Architecture in The Mirror: Sublime and The Everyday
Metamak - Architecture Collective (Minas Bakalčev, Mitko Hadži Pulja; Violeta Bakalčev;
Viktorija Stavric; Betim Zeqiri; Nikola Strezovski; Damjan Momirovski; Kristina Todic; Jana
Vitanova; Jana Konstantinova; Stefanija Todorovska; Slavko Josifoski; Jone Jankoski; Besian
Mehmeti; Bekir Ademi; Ivan Beleski; Mihajlo Zinoski; Aleksandar Radevski; Saša Tasić
Commissioner: Frosina Zafirovska. Curators: Aleksander Radevski, Saša Tasic. Venue: Pavilion at
Arsenale
MALAYSIA
Voices
Amna A Emir/Neuformation Architects; Arkitek Pital/Sow & Allan; Akitek Rekabina/Bicuadro
Architetti; Arkitek Karya Budi; Bon Che Wee; C'arch architecture + design; Che Wan Ahmad
Faizal; DotLine Circle; Design Evolution Architecture; Ken Wong & John Ding; Lee Chor Wah;
Ngiom; Ng Khuen Keat; Sacha Noordin; Sarly Adre Sarku; Suhaimi Fadzir; Tan Tek Tsien; Dr
Tan Loke Mun; Yu Jeen & Nyap Shin Koh; Universiti Putra Malaysia; Universiti Teknologi
MARA [UiTM]

Commissioner: Wong Lai Sum. Deputy Commissioner: Siti Azlina Mohd Ali Hanafiah. Curators: Boon
Che Wee, Wan Sofiah Wan Ishak, Lim Teng Ngiom. Deputy Curators: Lee Chor Wah, Mohamad
Pital Marof, Sarly Adre Sarkum. Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale
MEXICO
The Collectivity of Cultural Space / Culture under Construction
Bgp Arquitectura (Bernardo Gomez, Alejandro Sánchez); Alejandro Sánchez; Taller de
Arquitectura (Mauricio Rocha Iturbide); Arquitectura911sc (Jóse Castillo Oléa, Saidee Springall
del Villar); JSa Arquitectura (Javier Sánchez); Josévigilarquitectos (José Vigil); ISAAC BROID
ARQUITECTURA (Isaac Broid); Tatiana Bilbao S.C (Tatiana Bilbao); rojkind arquitectos
(Michel Rojkind); LEGORRETA+ LEGORRETA (Ricardo Legorreta, Victor Legorreta); FRIDA
ESCOBEDO taller (Frida Escobedo); TGL Arquitectos (Teodoro Gonzaléz de León); TEN
ARQUITECTOS (Enrique Norten); TAX (Alberto Kalach); Autoridad del Espacio Público
(Felipe Leal, Daniel Escotto); Fernanda Canales
Commissioner: Gastòn Ramìrez Feltrìn. Curator: Miquel Adrià. Venue: Chiesa di S. Lorenzo, Campo
S. Lorenzo (Castello)
MONTENEGRO
NEXT STEP
Mia Kecojevic; Milos Lakovic; Gordana Dragojevic; Goran Cukovic; Aleksandra Novicevic;
Slobodan Petrovic
Commissioner: Rifat Alihodžic. Curator: Neda Milacic Bogdanovic. Venue: Palazzo Malipiero, San
Marco 3079
NETHERLANDS, The
Re-set
Inside Outside/Petra Blaisse
Commissioner: Netherlands Architecture Institute. Curator: Ole Bouman. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
NORDIC PAVILION (FINLAND, NORWAY, SWEDEN)
LIGHT HOUSES: The Nordic Common Ground
FINLAND:
ALA Architects; Anttinen Oiva Architects; Avanto Architects; Lundén Wikar ÖSterlund;
Hollmen Reuter Sandman; JKMM; K2S Architects; Lassila Hirvilammi architects; NOW;
Sanaksenaho Architects; Verstas Architects
NORWAY:
Atelier Oslo; Brendeland & Kristoffersen Arkitekter AS; Fantastic Norway; Haugen/Zohar
Architects; Helen & Hard; Jarmund Vigsnæs Arkitekter; MANTHEY KULA; Reiulf Ramstad
Arkitekter; Rintala Eggertson Arkitekter; SPACE GROUP; TYIN Tegnestue
SWEDEN:
Arkitektstudio Widjedal Racki; Elding Oscarson; General architecture; happyspace; In praise of
Shadows arkitektur; Kjellander + Sjöberg Architects; Marge Arkitekter; Nordmark &
Nordmark; petra gipp arkitektur; THAM & VIDEGÅRD; (nod) COMBINE
Commissioner: Juulia Kauste. Deputy Commissioners: The Swedish Museum of Architecture, The
National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design (Norway). Curator: Peter MacKeith. Venue:
Pavilion at Giardini
PERU’ **
Yucún or Inhabit the desert
Ob+Ra (Ruth Alvarado - Oscar Borasino Arquitectos); Artadi Arquitectos; Baracco Asociados;
Bragagnini Arquitectos; Barclay & Crousse; García Milla -León Arquitectos; Gonzalez Moix
Arquitectos; K+m Arquitectura y Urbanismo; Longhi Architects; Llosa Cortegana Arquitectos;
Metrópolis/José Orrego; David Mutal Arquitectos; Nómena; Carlos Palomino - Arquitectos del

Norte; Carlos Pestana Arquitectos; Poggione+Biondi Arquitectos; Seinfeld Arquitectos; Oficina
Uccelli; Arquitectos/OUA; Vicca Verde; 51-1/Supersudaca Perú
Commissioner: José Orrego Herrera. Curator: Enrique Bonilla Di Tolla. Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale
POLAND
Making the walls quake as if they were dilating with the secret knowledge of great powers
Katarzyna Krakowiak
Commissioner: Hanna Wróblewska. Curator: Michał Libera. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
PORTUGAL
Lisbon Ground
Álvaro Siza Vieira; Barbara Rangel; Catarina Mourão; Duarte Belo; Eduardo Souto Moura;
Francisco Aires Mateus; Gonçalo Byrne; Joana Vilhena; José Adrião; João Nunes; João Gomes da
Silva; João Luís Carrilho da Graça; João Favila; João Pedro Falcão De Campos; João Simõnes;
Manuel Aires Mateus; Manuel Graça Dias, Manuel Salgado; Paulo Mendes da Rocha; Ricardo
Carvalho; Pedro Domingos; Ricardo Bak Gordon; Rui Furtado; Rui Mendes
Commissioner: Inês Valeria Maia Lobo. Venue: Fondaco Marcello, San Marco 3415
ROMANIA
Play Mincu:the Architecture Stamp
Tactic Group(Emil Ivănescu, Laura Iosub, Irina Bogdan, Paul Popescu, Ana Constantinescu)
Commissioner: Monica Morariu. Deputy Commissioners: Alexandru Damian, Bogdan Tofan. Curator:
Emil Ivănescu. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
Head Up
Atelier MASS (Silviu Aldea,Marius Moga, Camelia Sisak , Tamás Sisak )
Commissioner: Monica Morariu. Deputy Commissioners: Alexandru Damian, Bogdan Tofan. Curator:
Silviu Aldea. Venue: Nuova Galleria dell’Istituto Romeno di Venezia, Campo S. Fosca, Cannaregio
2214
RUSSIA
“i- сity”
AREP; SPEECH Tchoban/Kuznetsov; David Chipperfield Architects; Valode& Pistre; Mohsen
Mostafavi; OMA; SANAA; Herzog& de Meuron; Stefano Boeri architetti; Project MEGANOM;
MDP/Michel Desvigne paysagiste; BERNASKONI architecture bureau
Commissioner: Grigory Revzin. Curator: Sergei Tchoban. Deputy Curators: Sergey Kuznetsov, Valeria
Kashirina. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
SERBIA
Jedan :sto/100
Marija Miković; Olga Lazarević; Marija Strajnić; Nikola Andonov; Aleksandar Ristović; Marko
Marović; Janko Tadić; Nebojša Stevanović; Milan Dragić and Miloš Živković
Commissioner/Curator: Igor Marić. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
SLOVENIA, Republic of
100 YC [100 Year City]
Ljubljana University (Peter Gabrijelčič); University of Maribor (Uroš Lobnik, Nande Korpnik);
OFIS (Rok Oman, Špela Videčnik); ITO School (Akira Suzuki); SCI Arc Los Angeles (Eric Owen
Moss, Peter Zellner, Florencia Pita, Hernan Diaz Alonso, Elena Manferdini, Tom Wiscombe,
Marcelo Spina, John Enright); RMIT University ( Tom Kovac, Martin Hook, Paul Minifie, Jane
Burry, Graham Crist, Jose Alfano, Charles Anderson, Richard Blythe, Vivian Mitsogianni,
Aleksandar Šubić, Gretchen Wilkins, Nicholas Williams, Michael Wilson, Francios Roche,

Roland Snooks, Marcelo Stamm, Leon van Schaik, Fleur Watson, Sue Anne Ware; Michael
Spooner); University of Technology Sydney (Dale Jones Evans); Dessau Institute of Architecture
(Matias del Campo, Sandra Manninger, Liss C. Werner); Urban Strategies Angewandte (Bruno
Juričič); Lund University (Julia Koerner, Tina-Henriette Kristiansen); Pratt Instute (Karl Chu);
Bologna University (Alessio Erioli); Princeton University (Wendy Fok); Monash University
(Nigel Bertram, Tim Schork); The Bartlett School of Architecture (Marjan Colletti, CJ Lim,
Frederic Migayrou); Sint Lucas (Martine De Maesneer, Gideon Boie); New York University
(Natalie Jeremijenko); KTH School of Architecture (Ulrika Karlsson, Jonah Fritzell, Daniel
Norell, Einar Rodhe); University of Innsbruck (Bart Lootsma, Patrik Schumacher, Peter
Trummer, Toni Kotnik); UCLA (Hadrian Predock); Die Angewandte (Hani Rashid); Aalto
University (Kivi Sotamaa); University of Western Australia (Jon Terry, Rene Van Meeuwen);
NASA JPL (Brent Sherwood); ASCII Architecture (Vuk Cosic); Biomega (Jens Martin Skipsted);
BMW (Adrian Van Hooydonk); Body Architect (Lucy Mcrae); Corus (Sean Kelly); DESSA gallery
(Andrej Hrausky); Earth 2 Orbit (Susmita Mohanty); Felicetti (Peter Felicetti); Fender Katsalidis
(Karl Fender); IoA Die Angewandte (Reiner Zettl); Kunsthaus Graz (Peter Pakesch); Lava (Chris
Bosse); Liquifer (Barbara Imhof); London School of Economics (Ricky Burdett); MAK (Christoph
Thun-Hohenstein); Maribor City Architect (Stojan Skalicky); MIT Architecture Department
(Skylar Tibbits); Museum and Galleries of Ljubljana (Blaz Persin); Ross Lovegrove; Rubedo
(Vesna Petresin Robert, Laurent-Paul Robert); SADAR+VUGA (Bostjan Vuga); Slovenian
Academy of Science and Arts (Kristof Ostir); Technical University Munich (Thomas Bock); The
Architectural Association (Brett Steele); The Ephemeral Artifact (Keith Deverell); The Designers
Republic (Ian Anderson); Ulay (Frank Uwe Laysiepen); University of California (Marcos Novak,
Marko Peljhan); University of Westminster (Filip Visnjic); Zizi Yoyo (Veronika Valk); Lucy
Bullivant; Amsterdam School of the Arts (Aart Oxenaar, Rogier van den Berg); Ars Electronica
(Gerfried Stocker); Association of Architects Maribor (Nives Corak); Cern (Ariane Koek);
Concept Productions (Spela Mlakar); DSDHA (Debora Saunt); FRAC (Marie Ang Brayer);
Itenerant Office (Gianpiero Venturini); Simon Leamon; University Southern California (Neil
Leack); Mercedes Mambort; Selene Wong; Gianna Zulkafli; Saif Kattan; Linton Wood;
Michael Murdock; Keith Deverell
Commissioner: Peter Tomaž Dobrila. Deputy Commissioner: Štefan Simončič. Curator: Tom Kovac.
Venue: Galleria A+A, San Marco 3073
SPAIN
SPAINLab
RCR Arquitectes (Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, Ramón Vilalta); Selgascano (Lucía Cano, José
Selgas); Urban Habitat/Barcelona City Council (Vicente Guallart); SMAO - Sancho-Madridejos;
Architecture Office (Sol Madridejos, Juan Carlos Sancho); Menis Arquitectos (Fernando Menis);
Cloud9 (Enric Ruiz-Geli); Ecosistema Urbano (Belinda Tato, José Luis Vallejo)
Commissioners: Gobierno De España. Ministerio De Fomento. Dirección General De Arquitectura,
Vivienda Y Suelo with ACE (Acción Cultural Española), AECID (Agencia Española De
Cooperación Internacional Para El Desarrollo). Curator: Antón García-Abril, Débora Mesa. Venue:
Pavilion at Giardini
SWITZERLAND
Und jetzt das Ensemble! (And now the ensamble)
Miroslav Šik with Axel Fickert,Kaschka Knapkiewicz,Paola Maranta ,Quintus Miller
Commissioners: Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia (Marianne Burki, Sandi Paucic). Venue: Pavilion at
Giardini

THAILAND
Patchara Wongboonsin: Tawatchai Kobkaikit; Touchapon Suntrajarn; Pitupong Chaowakul;
Yossapol Boonsom; Prapan Napawongdee; Namchai Saensupha; Chakdao Navacharown;
Noppon Pisutharnon; Sirichai Zhangwirunchodinan; Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn
University; Faculty of Architecture, Silpakorn University; School of Architecture and Design,
King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi; Faculty of Architecture, Kasetsart
University; Faculty of Architecture, Chiang Mai University; Faculty of Architecture and
Environmental Design, Maejo University; Office of Bangkok Architects Co.; Urban Architects
Co.; Duangrit Bunnag Architect Ltd. (DBALP); Plan Architect Co.; Process Architect & Planner
Co.; Arsomsilp Institute of the Arts; Architects 49; JUNSEKINO Architect & Design Co.;
Dutrudee Makprasert; Sake Simaraks; Nutt La-iad-on; Khan Leebamroong; Phuttipan;
Asawakool; Tanakarn Mokkhasmita; Ularnpatch Nithiuthai; anyadech Phornphong
Commissioners: Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage (Smith Obayawat) Office
of Contemporary Art and Culture, Ministry of Culture (Chai Nakhonchai). Curators: Apiradee
Kasemsook, Nuttinee Karnchanaporn, Tonkao Panin. Deputy Curators: Khaisri Paksucharern,Wirat
Pantapatkul, Narongwit Areemit Venue: Pavilion at Arsenale
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Spontaneous Interventions: Design Actions for the Common Good
596 Acres; AFHny Studio; Mouna Andraos; Ants of the Prairie; Architecture for Humanity
Chicago; Austin Urban Solutions & Rosner Studio; Manuel Ávila; Baltimore Development
Cooperative; Barkow Leibinger Architects & Kyle Talbott; David Benjamin and Natalie
Jeremijenko; BK Farmyards; BroLab; Brooklyn Night Bazaar; Eduardo Cachucho; Center for
Urban Pedagogy; Candy Chang; and Civic Center; Cheng+Snyder; Chicago Loop Alliance; City
Repair; City Fabric; Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative at Kent State University; CMG
Landscape Architecture; Come Out and Play; COMMONstudio; Graham Coreil-Allen;
Crookedworks; Nicholas de Monchaux; Department of Urban Betterment; Depave; Design 99;
Design That Moves You; Do Tank; DSGN AGNC, ENS_Projects; envelope A+D; Jason Eppink;
Jason Eppink and Posterchild; Free Agents Imbert and Meijerink; Free Art and Technology
Laboratory (F.A.T: Lab); Freecell; French 2Design; Futurefarmers; Evan Gant and Alex Tee;
Ghana ThinkTank; GOOD; Guerrilla Grafters; HabitatMap; Fritz Haeg; Hellmuth; Obata +
Kassabaum; Hester Street Collaborative; HOK; Howling Mob Society; ICE-POPS; Institute for
Urban Design; Interboro Partners; International Design Clinic; Jackson Heights Green Alliance;
Kingshighway Vigilante Transitions; LA Department of DIY; LA Green Grounds; Lang
Architecture; Make It Right Foundation; Street Plans Collaborative; M12; Macro Sea, MAS
Studio, MIT Media Lab; Molly Dilworth Studio; Ken Mori & Jenny Liang; Eve Mosher;
MyBlockNYC; Neighborland; No Longer Empty; Normal Projects; Object Orange; Occupy Wall
Street 8various, including inflatable General Assembly and OWS Screenprinters’ Guild;
OpenPlans; Philadelphia Horticultural Society; PlanningCorps; Popularise; Public Architecture;
Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science; Public Media Institute; Alexandra Pulver;
Rebar; Rebuild Foundation; Red Swing Project; Resource Center; Rockwell Group; James Rojas;
SanFranStudios; Sensemakers; Shared Spaces Landscape Architecture and ‘Hood Builders; SLO
Architecture; Stamen; Streetfilms; Syracuse University School of Architecture; Team Better
Block; Matt Tomasulo/CityFabric; TreeKIT; TheUni Project with Howeler + Yoon Architecture;
Urban Operations; Urbano Activo; UrbanUXd; Rob Walker & Ellen Susan; Dave Winslow and
Loring Sagan; Ed Woodham; WORKac; youarethecity; Z-A Studio
Commissioner/ Curator: Cathy Lang Ho. Curators: Ned Cramer, David van der Leer.Deputy Curators:
Paola Antonelli, Anne Guiney, Zoe Ryan, Michael Sorkin. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini

UKRAINE
Mirage Architecture Project
Alexander Ponomarev, Alexey Kozyr, Sergey Shestakov, Ilya Babak
Commissioner: Nikita Mazaev. Curators: Olga Milenty, Alexander Ponomarev. Venue: Pavilion at
Arsenale
URUGUAY
Panavision: various practices, common views
Marcelo Gualano; Martin Gualano; Horacio Flora; Alejandro Baptista; Marcelo Bednarik;
Federico Mirabal; Mario Baez; Adrian Duran; Fabio Ayerra; Marcos Castaings; Martín Cobas;
Javier Lanza; Diego Pérez; Matías Carballal; Andrés Gobba; Mauricio López
Commissioner: Daniela Freiberg. Curator: Pedro Livni Aldabalde. Deputy Curator: Gonzalo Carrasco
Purull. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
VENEZUELA
La ciudad socializante versus. La ciudad alienante
Domenico Silvestro
Commissioner: Andreina Augusti. Venue: Pavilion at Giardini
* Country participant for the first time.
** Country participated in IILA, for the first time individual participation.

Common Ground
Collateral Events
50x50 VeniceGreenDream VGD 2012
Via Pacinotti, Area Vega 2, Marghera
From August 29 th to November 25 th
50x50 Venice Green Dream 2012 is the installation of a greenfield. A sort of common field that
represents at the same time a system of architectural order and a process of cultivation of nature.
For coping with the urban and territorial transformations with a socio-economic and
environmental approach, a change in the paradigm is required. Venice and its waterfront are an
extraordinary testing field of application.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Saturdays and Sundays
Organization: Green City Italia
www.greencity-italia.com
A Better World
Serra dei Giardini, Castello (Viale Garibaldi)
From August 27 th to November 25 th
Couldn't be anywhere else than a greenhouse. Craft and vocation are the principle. The struggle,
and the fun part too, it's the networking and the use of smooth materials and ideas producing
smart energy. Then lectures, workshops, small design shows turn the venue in a hub to keep our
feet touching the ground.
opening hours: 11 – 23 closed on Mondays
Organization: studio427
www.studio427.it
Álvaro Siza. Viagem sem programma
Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Castello, 5252 (Campo Santa Maria Formosa)
From August 27 th to November 11 th
The exhibition aims at exploring Siza’s extraordinary eidetic memory and underscores the power
of the drawings (chiefly portraits) created during his youth, his many trips abroad for work
purposes, recent dinner parties with friends and moments “free from the burden of work”
populated with memoirs, views and ironical stances accumulated with the passing of time. They
all contribute to giving form to his way of living and conceiving life.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Mondays
Organization: Medicina Mentis - Associazione Culturale
www.medicinamentis.it
www.viagemsemprograma.com

Archipelago Cinema by Ole Scheeren
Arsenale, Darsena Grande
August 27 th and 28 th (upon invitation only)
Archipelago Cinema, a floating auditorium designed by architect Ole Scheeren, hosts the world
première of the film Against All Rules by filmmaker Horst Brandenburg, presenting a profound
insight into the work and philosophy of Ole Scheeren.
Organization: KT Wong Foundation
www.archipelago-cinema.com
Architect / Geographer – Le Foyer de Taiwan
Palazzo delle Prigioni, Castello, 4209 (San Marco)
From August 29 th to November 25 th
Taiwan areas share both climatic and ecological factors, as well as a post–colonial condition and
the pressures of modernization in the world of globalization. Architects’ reactions to the tropical
context are as varied as the region is diverse. This is not a style but rather an approach to
architecture that asks for design to be conceived in response to the needs and opportunities of a
specific region, bio– and cultural diversity, micro–climatic control and technology and
multidisciplinary design.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Mondays
Organization: National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA)
www.ntmofa.gov.tw
Bertil Vallien - Nine Rooms
Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti, Palazzo Cavalli Franchetti, San Marco, 2847 (Campo
Santo Stefano)
From August 28 th to November 25 th
The retrospective exhibition by Bertil Vallien highlights the strong relationship between the
design aspects of Vallien’s art and the concretization of those ideas that become glass works
closely related to the environment that hosts them, emphasizing the artist's particular interest in
man's relationship with the environment, with history, with the sacred, and with time – in short,
with the signs of a contemporary society.
opening hours: 10 – 18 open all days; admission fee
Organization: Svensk Form
www.svenskform.se
BSI Swiss Architectural Award 2007-2012
Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Castello, 5252 (Campo Santa Maria Formosa)
From September 22 nd to October 7 th
September 22 nd , 11 round table
The event BSI Swiss Architectural Award for 2007-2012 aims to document the eponymous
international award for architecture, and is divided into an exhibition and on a round table, to be
attended by the winners of the first three editions, accompanied by Chairman of the Jury Mario
Botta.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Mondays
Organization: BSI Architectural Foundation and Fondazione Querini Stampalia
www.bsi-swissarchitecturalaward.ch

Finding Country Exhibition
Spiazzi 1, Arsenale, Castello, 3865 (Calle del Pestrin)
From August 27 th to September 29 th
September 28 th , 16 round table Finding Country, territorio e cittadinanza
The Finding Country Exhibition is aboriginal in origin and trajectory. It seeks a contest between the
traditions of aboriginal space (country), and European space (property). The central exhibit is an
8x3m drawing of the city of Brisbane consisting of approximately 50 submissions emptying
individual grids by half to reveal something lost. The challenge is to negotiate decline and find
country.
opening hours: 10 – 19 closed on Mondays
Organizzation: Venti di Cultura
www.ventidicultura.it
www.findingcountry.com.au
Il Palais Lumière di Pierre Cardin a Venezia: una scultura abitabile
Concept Créatif International Pierre Cardin, via delle Industrie, Marghera
From August 29 th to November 25 th
The Palais Lumière is an original building by Pierre Cardin, taking inspiration from three flowers
held together by a ribbon: it is a concrete example of a "useful sculpture", in which an individual
can comfortably live 24 hours a day. The large and eco-friendly structure was designed to be
placed in a specific area of Venice (Porto Marghera) that has been decaying for some time now: the
exhibition is intended to illustrate this extraordinary project of architecture in detail.
opening hours: 10 – 18 open all days
Organization: Concept Créatif International Pierre Cardin
www.ccipierrecardin.com
www.palaislumiere.eu/biennalevenezia2012
Inter Cities / Intra Cities: Ghostwriting the Future
Arsenale, Castello, 2126 (Campo della Tana)
From August 27 th to November 25 th
In Hong Kong the notion of “Common Ground” is poignant: ‘One country, two systems’. Does
Hong Kong retain a different system How does this envisage the involvement of citizens in
shaping their future The Oval Partnership will focus on proposals for South East Kowloon.
As curators, the Oval Partnership will act as ghostwriters, inviting exhibitors to speculate on the
past, present and future inhabitants as a way of re-framing pre-existing and new work.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Mondays (except September 3 and November 19)
Organization: The Hong Kong Institute of Architects and Hong Kong Arts Development Council
www.hkia.net
www.hkadc.org.hk
www.venicebiennale.hk/vb2012
Life Between Buildings
Fondazione Giorgio Cini, San Giorgio Maggiore Island
From August 27 th to November 25 th
The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art presents an installation where small narratives illustrate
Jan Gehl’s visions. A large circular screen enables the visitors to step into the architect’s universe. It
is about creating places where people can meet, about bringing life to the city, about how we
conceive the quality of that life.
opening hours: 11 – 19 open all days
Organization: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
www.louisiana.dk

Novecento. Architetture e città del Veneto
Archivio Progetti, Università IUAV di Venezia, Cotonificio Veneziano, Dorsoduro, 2196
From October 25 th to November 23 rd
October 25 th , 10 presentation of the book Novecento. Architetture e città del Veneto
The census of the twentieth-century architecture in Veneto is a collective study promoted by the
Regione del Veneto in order to carry out the new PTRC (Regional Territorial Coordination Plan).
Over 2,000 buildings and urban systems have been registered.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and November 2 nd
Organization: Vicepresidenza della Regione del Veneto e Assessorato al Territorio, Cultura e
Affari Generali, Direzione Pianificazione Territoriale e Strategica, Direzione Attività Culturali e
Spettacolo with Archivio Progetti, Università IUAV di Venezia
www.ptrc.it
Programmare l’arte. Olivetti e le neoavanguardie cinetiche
Negozio Olivetti, Piazza San Marco, 101
From August 30 th to October 14 th
The exhibition is intended to re-stage the one held in 1962 and the artists will be those of Gruppo
T (Anceschi, Boriani, Colombo, De Vecchi, Varisco) and Gruppo N (Biasi, Chiggio, Costa, Landi,
Massironi), alongside Munari, Mari and Alviani. On show will be the publicity material produced
by Olivetti, the photographs by Dondero, the film produced for the occasion and interviews with
artists and intellectuals.
opening hours: 11 – 18.30 closed on Mondays; admission fee
Organization: FAI Fondo Ambiente Italiano
www.fondoambiente.it
www.negoziolivetti.it
Salon Suisse
Palazzo Trevisan degli Ulivi, Dorsoduro, 810 (Campo Sant' Agnese)
From August 28 th to September 1 st ; from October 16 th to 20 th ; from November 20 th to 24 th
Salon Suisse will stage a series of discussions and events open to all, in which practitioners and
commentators consider questions defining theory and practice in architecture today.
This open discussion forum will consider issues raised by Swiss architectural culture to throw a
perspective on the shared “Common Ground” of architecture. Evenings will offer stimulating
thought, mixed with wit and pleasure.
opening hours: 17.30 – 21.30 (except August 28 th from 19, August 29 th 11 – 14 and 17.30 – 21.30)
Organization: Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia
www.prohelvetia.ch
www.biennials.ch
The Way of Enthusiasts
Casa dei Tre Oci, Giudecca 43
From August 29 th to November 25 th
The exhibition features the spatial commentaries made by Russian artists through the last decades
and use the urban and architectural material as a parallel narrative to contextualize and depict
patterns, which lay behind the shift from Soviet to capitalist and post-ideological society.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Tuesdays
Organization: V-A-C Foundation
www.v-a-c.ru

Traces of Centuries & Future Steps
Palazzo Bembo, San Marco, 4793 (Riva del Carbon)
From August 29 th to November 25 th
This exhibition presents 60 architects from 6 continents, representing 26 countries, brought
together in an extraordinary combination. It shows current developments and thoughts in
international architecture.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Tuesdays
Organization: GlobalArtAffairs Foundation
www.globalartaffairs.org
www.palazzobembo.org
Vogadors/Architectural Rowers. Catalan & Balearic Threads
Hard Materiality for a Permeable Architecture
Castello, 40 (San Pietro di Castello)
From August 29 th to November 25 th
Rowing: in a difficult environment for architecture, in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands has been
born a new generation of architects who are trying to navigate the turbulent waters to find its way
towards the future, but at the same time with a conspiratorial look to the past.
opening hours: 10 – 18 closed on Mondays (except September 3 and November 19)
Organization: Institut Ramon Llull
www.llull.cat
www.vogadors.cat
YAA -Young Arab Architects
Ca'ASI, Cannaregio, 6024 (Campiello Santa Maria Nova)
From August 29 th to October 14 th
The YAA - Young Arab Architects competition focuses on young architects who come from the 21
member countries of the Arab league. The exhibition at CA’ASI shows visions for the future by
generations who will have to redefine tomorrow’s space and how the different cultures are able to
draw a “Common Ground”.
opening hours: 11 – 18 closed on Tuesdays
Organization: Associazione Ca’ ASI
www.ca-asi.com

Common Ground
Visitors information
Venues, dates and opening times
Venezia, Giardini and Arsenale, from August, 29 th to November, 25 th 2012
Opening times: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Closed on Mondays (except Mondays September, 3 rd and November 19 th 2012)
Ticket office
Giardini, Arsenale (Campo Tana) – 10 a.m. - 5.30 p.m.
Last entry 5.45 p.m.
Visits
The ticket is valid for one entry to each of the two exhibition venues (Giardini and Arsenale).
Are allowed small/medium sized pets in the green area.
Tickets
Full € 20
Reduced € 18: COOP, CTS, ISIC, FAI, Touring Club, Cinema Più, Venice Card (Adult / Junior / San
Marco), Rolling Venice Card and Carta Giovani, Trenitalia customers in possession of
Frecciargento/Frecciabianca tickets to Venice (date of travel max 3 days before) and soci
Cartafreccia.
Reduced € 16: over 65 yrs., military officers, residents in Venice; showing the pass or the subscription of
the 69 th Venice Film Festival and the ticket 56 th International Festival of Contemporary Music.
Reduced € 13: Biennale Card Gold and Platinum holders
(Reductions will approved after showing the documents required)
Students/Under 26 yrs. € 12
with current ID card and student card
Family formula € 40
2 adults + 2 under 14 yrs
Adult groups € 13
min. 10 people, booking required
Secondary school students groups € 8
min. 10 people, booking required
University students groups € 10
min. 10 people, booking required
Students groups of the universities involved in Biennale Sessions € 20
min. 50 people, booking required. The ticket/pass is valid to visit the two exhibition venues for 3 consecutive
days
Pass 48h € 30
Permanent pass € 70
Permanent pass for students Under 26 € 45
with current ID card and student card

Free admission: up to the age of 6 (inclusive), adults accompanying disabled visitors, primary
schools and secondary schools attending the educational services.
Booking it's also possible on-line for some of those categories: www.labiennale.org
Educational
Guided tours, thematic-educational itineraries, laboratories and creative workshops,
special initiatives for companies and creative workshops for families
Available in Italian and in the main foreign languages.
Booking required, average duration 1h 45’- 2 hours.
The service is fee-paying, entry ticket not included.
Adults
In Italian – 1 venue € 80 – 2 venues € 140
Other languages – 1 venue € 90 – 2 venues € 150
University
1 venue € 70 – 2 venues € 120
Secondary school II grade
1 venue € 65 – 2 venues € 110
Primary and Secondary school I grade
1 venue € 55
Kindergarten
1 venue € 40
Creative workshops for families
Laboratory activities, each children 1 venue € 4
Guided tours without reservation
Fixed start: guided tours for visitors not guided tours for visitors who are not organized in group
in Italian and in foreign language 1 venue € 7 – 2 venues € 10. The activities will take place on
stated days and hours.
Reservation is not required.
Architecture + Music formula
During the 56 th International Festival of Contemporary Music (October, 6 th – 13 th ,2012) reduced
price tickets will be available for both events
One ticket for the Exhibition + 1 concert
Full € 32 / Reduced € 28 / Groups € 20 / Students € 15
Architecture + Cinema formula
During the 69 th Venice Film Festival ( August 29 th – September 8 th ) for groups that have visited
the 13th International Architecture Exhibition will be possible to buy tickets groups with reduced
price for screenings and cinemas defined.
Visitors services (Giardini and Arsenale)
Infopoint, free cloackroom
Services within the exhibition (Giardini and Arsenale)
Bar, restaurant, bookshop
Web sites
www.labiennale.org
Bookings and information
Guided visits, groups, schools
Ph. +39 041 5218828 F. +39 041 5218732 - promozione@labiennale.org

Press Preview Registration
Journalists registered for the preview days will receive a free ticket valid for entrance from Wednesday,
August 29 th (the day when the award ceremony will be taking place) through Monday, September 3 th .
The ticket will give access to the Arsenale (3 entrances per day) and to the Giardini (3 entrances per day).
Since Tuesday, September 4 th , the press ticket is € 10.
The press ticket gives access to the Giardini (max. 3 entrances) and to the Arsenale (max. 3 entrances) for
two, even non-consecutive, days throughout the whole duration of the exhibition.
The journalist will receive the € 10 ticket by showing either his personal press card, the AICA or ICOM
membership card or the confirmation letter sent via e-mail from the Biennale di Venezia press office.
In order to obtain the confirmation letter, the journalist will have to submit at least 48 hours prior to the
visit:
the fully completed application form, including his/her personal data and those of the
newspaper or magazine
a recent passport-size photo (jpg 200 KB) to be attached to the form or sent via e-mail
an official letter signed by the editor in chief confirming the assignment to cover the 13 th
International Architecture Exhibition
a published article on the 12 nd International Architecture Exhibition or a recently published
article on visual arts, in case of first-time request
The online form can be found at the following link:
http://web1.labiennale.org/13mia/addrecord.php-db=HSC_WEB&-lay=HSC_WEB&
Application forms sent without the required documents will not be taken into account.
The Venice Biennale Press Office will confirm the registration in writing.
The registration procedure also refers to AICA and ICOM card holders. AICA and ICOM
cards alone do not entitle to press registration.
All documents can be sent:
- by e-mail to the following address:
archpress@labiennale.org (International press)
archstampa@labiennale.org (Italian press)
- by fax: +39 041 5218812
- by ordinary mail to the following address:
la Biennale di Venezia - Architecture Press Office
Ca’ Giustinian - San Marco, 1364/a - 30124 Venezia – Italy
For further information
Architecture Press Office – la Biennale di Venezia Ph. +39 041 5218 771 archpress@labiennale.org

Facilities for the Vaporetto dell’Arte
Venice, August 27 th , 2012 – During the press preview days August 27 th and 28 th all accredited press
and invited guests to 13 th International Architecture Exhibition will enjoy free transport service
carried out by the Vaporetto dell’Arte. The press pass (withdrawn earlier in Arsenale) or the
invitation must be displayed to the Vaporetto’s crew.
The free admission on board for the invited guests will be possible only on August 27 th and 28 th
meanwhile for the accredited press will continue throughout the day August 29 th
Hours: from 9.00 a.m. (first departure from S. Lucia railway station) to 7.43 p.m. (last departure
from Giardini).
With the Vaporetto dell’Arte you can reach the main venues of the 13 th International Architecture
Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia (Giardini and Arsenale), the historical and artistic places of
interest, the main museums and exhibitions in town.
The Vaporetto makes the following stops:
S. Lucia (railway station), from where you reach the Jewish Museum
S. Stae (Natural History Museum, Palazzo Mocenigo, Oriental Art Museum, Ca’ Pesaro,
Fondazione Prada, Venetian playwright Carlo Goldini’s house);
Ca’ d’Oro (Franchetti gallery in Ca’ d’Oro)
S. Samuele (Palazzo Grassi, Palazzo Fortuny);
Accademia (Ca’ Rezzonico, Accademia Galleries, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Fondazione
Bevilacqua La Masa - Palazzetto Tito, Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti);
Salute (Fondazione Emilio e Annabianca Vedova, Punta della Dogana);
S. Marco Giardinetti (Palazzo Ducale, Museo Correr, Teatro La Fenice, Museo Archeologico
Nazionale, Fondazione Bevilacqua la Masa-Galleria di Piazza San Marco, Museo di Palazzo
Grimani, Fondazione Querini Stampalia, la Biennale di Venezia - Ca’ Giustinian);
S. Giorgio (Fondazione Giorgio Cini).
Arsenale (13 th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia)
Giardini (13 th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia)

Biennale Festivals 2012
69 th Venice Film Festival
August 29 th > September 8 th 2012
directed by Alberto Barbera
56 th International Festival of Contemporary Music
6 th > 13 th October 2012
directed by Ivan Fedele

la Biennale di Venezia
President
Paolo Baratta
Board
Giorgio Orsoni (Vice-President)
Luca Zaia
Francesca Zaccariotto
Emmanuele Francesco Maria Emanuele
General Director
Andrea Del Mercato
Auditors' Committee
Marco Costantini (President)
Marco Aldo Amoruso
Stefania Bortoletti
Silvana Bellan (Deputy)

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PRESS RELEASE
TELECOM ITALIA AT THE 13 th INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION – VENICE
BIENNALE
Venice, 27 August 2012
Telecom Italia is at the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition, this year titled “Common
Ground”, which runs at the Venice Biennale from 29 August to 25 November 2012.
As in previous years, Telecom Italia is supplying its technologies to the Exhibition.
This year, Telecom Italia is also offering websurfers an exclusive sneak preview of the Exhibition
with an inaugural online “Web Private View”, which will be streamed at
www.biennalearchitettura.telecomitalia.com .
Viewers will be able to chat live with the President of the Venice Biennale, Paolo Baratta, and with
the Director of the Exhibition, David Chipperfield. More information on www.telecomitalia.com
In addition to this virtual event, Telecom Italia has created a mini-site to showcase all of the
exhibition’s stars, featuring a series of ad hoc interviews with architects and the most exciting
installations.
Lastly, Telecom Italia will be providing behind-the-scenes coverage of the opening on the social
networks, making this year’s Exhibition a truly collective event.
***
The Telecom Italia Group today provides infrastructure and technology platforms over which voice and data
are transformed into advanced telecommunications services and leading-edge ICT and media solutions: tools
for the company’s and indeed the entire nation’s growth.
The Group trades through its principal brands Telecom Italia, TIM, La7, MTV Italia, and Olivetti, which are
icons familiar to consumers and a guarantee of reliability and competency.
A customer-centric focus and technological innovation guide the Group, which benefits from an agile
structure built on the foundations of high quality service, simple-to-understand products and services, a
focus on contact with customers, and ongoing research at TILab laboratories.
Telecom Italia’s domestic leadership is backed up by a significant international presence on the major South
American market through Tim Brasil and Telecom Argentina, which account for 34% of Group revenues.
Telecom Italia
Press Office
+39 06 3688 2610
http://www.telecomitalia.com/media

GOLDEN GOOSE DELUXE BRAND
SPONSOR SUPPORTER AND OFFICIAL SUPPLIER
OF THE 13 TH INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION -
LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
The collaboration between Golden Goose Deluxe Brand and la Biennale di Venezia
continues.
It started in 2011, when the Venetian company was elected to design a few exclusive
pieces for the 54 th International Exhibition Art, and continues this year with the participation
at the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition.
This renews the strong interest in communicating and working with the city of Venice
and its historic and unique ability to transmit creativity and innovation from all over
the world. A city that, as pointed out by Francesca and Alessandro Gallo, founders of
Golden Goose Deluxe Brand, they are fortunate to have very close, both in distance
and a in the strong sense of belonging.
During these last ten years Golden Goose Deluxe Brand has showed a special
affection and respect for “la Serenissima”, the orignal name of the ancient Venetian
Republic, and this has led to a relationship of exchange and inspiration.
The unconditional tribute to Venice is also apparent in the choice to make, for any
Golden Goose Deluxe Brand collection, limited editions of photographic books dedicated
to the lagoon city, its islands, its gardens and its industrial architecture.
Venice is the starting point, metaphor and symbol to transmit the creative philosophy
of Golden Goose. The relationship between the company and their territory is based
first of all on passion.
Taking part in the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition has a special meaning
to the company: it completes the work initiated with the 54 th International Art Exhibition,
representing the other side of Golden Goose Deluxe Brand: their ability to
conceive new projects.
In fact the company has always joint creativity and technical solutions when creating
their collections, innovating and experimenting a mix of craftsmanship and industrial
production.
In this event, Golden Goose Deluxe Brand presents “HAUS / Golden Goose Deluxe
Brand”: a line of clothing & stationery inspired by and addressed to the world of architecture
and design.
The main features of the clean and minimalistic items in the HAUS / Golden Goose
Deluxe Brand collection are materials of the highest quality and meticulous attention
to the details and finishing touches.
For further information:
Milan office: tel. +39 02 76005907
Venice office: tel. +39 041 5380319
New York office: tel. + 1 212 2067179
GALLO ALESSANDRO S.R.L
registered office via Salaino n.12, 20144 Milano
operative office c/o L’Ermitage 2008 Converted Industrial Building
via dell’Atomo n.8, 30175 Porto Marghera Venezia
T +39 041 5380319 - F +39 041 2528014
info@goldengoosedeluxebrand.com

PRESS RELEASE
Japan Tobacco International
promotes modern creativity
at the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition
of la Biennale di Venezia
Venice, August 27, 2012 – This year, for the first time, JT International SA (JTI) will support the 13 th
International Architecture Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia. This event will bring a special sparkle to
the area of the Arsenale, the Giardini and the city of Venice for three months. JTI is committed, as
always, to supporting culture and safeguarding the environment. On this occasion JTI will bring
innovation and creativity to the service of the city, in the quest for cleaner spaces and a better
environment.
During the Exhibition, attended by more than hundred thousand visitors, JTI will distribute 50,000
portable ashtrays in the Giardini of la Biennale and the Arsenale areas. The aim is to promote
responsible behaviour towards others as well as the eco-system of the Venetian lagoon.
Over the years, the JTI Group distributed over 2 million portable ashtrays in the main Italian cities and
tourist locations. Together with JTI, important cultural partners such as Marevivo, urban refuse
collection services such as the Milanese AMSA and leading publishing houses, have promoted
environmental awareness campaigns against cigarette butt littering.
Since its foundation, the JTI Group has played an active role in supporting arts and culture. In fact, JTI
has an ongoing commitment to sustain the cultural heritage of the countries in which it operates, with a
particular focus on arts combining innovation and research.
Over the years JTI has built partnerships with important international cultural institutions such as
Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, the Museum of the Louvre in Paris, the Royal Academy of Arts in London,
Madrid’s Prado Museum and the Mariinskij Theatre in Saint Petersburg.
In Italy in particular, JTI supported modern art in 2011 with a campus dedicated to culture together
with the MAXXI Foundation in Rome, the first national institution dedicated to modern creativity. In
addition, for the past three years, the company has supported the ‘History on Trial’ review organized
by the l’Auditorium Parco della Musica. In 2010 it launched a collaboration with the Fondazione
Cinema per Roma through which, the following year, JTI became an Event Partner for the Rome
International Film Festival.
For further information, please contact:
Alice Brambilla (Barabino & Partners) a.brambilla@barabino.it - 02 72023535 - 328 2668196
Clara Ceriotti (JT International Italia S.r.l.) clara.ceriotti@jti.com - 02 58347455
JT International SA (JTI) is a member of the Japan Tobacco Group of Companies, a leading international tobacco product
manufacturer. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and net sales of USD 11.2 billion in the fiscal year ended December
31, 2011, JT International SA has operations in 120 countries and about 25,000 employees. For more information, visit
www.jti.com.

HAPPY BUSINESS TO YOU, THE FIRST TRADE FAIR DEDICATED TO
CONTRACT MADE IN ITALY, ON THE SIDE OF THE 13th INTERNATIONAL
ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION - LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
Venice, August 27th 2012_The mission of Happy Business To You, a trade fair dedicated to the contract industry, is
renewed by its support of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia. The important sponsorship
initiative was created in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Pordenone.
Happy Business To You International Contract Fair (scheduled 13-16 February 2013 and organized by Pordenone Fiere
Spa) has an absolutely unique and special feature: it is completely dedicated to the meeting between supply and
demand in fields like “ turn-key “ supply which, despite the global crisis, is in constant expansion, involving specific
projects and major orders in the Residential, Large Community, Hospitality (Hotel, Cafe, Restaurant) and Naval
sectors.
Thanks to a strategic geographical position that puts the exhibition in the heart of the furniture manufacturing
districts, Happy Business To You is able - as overwhelmingly positive data from last year’s edition shows - to
create new business opportunities for exhibitors (carefully selected from the best Italian brands in the furniture
sector), international buyers, national and foreign architectural studios and the world’s top contractors. For the
duration of the fair, “Open Factories” allows participants to visit companies, know them inside their own walls
and discover where and how real Made in Italy is born.
In addition to having understood the demands of the sector, the last edition of Happy Business To You achieved truly
excellent results in the number of participating exhibitors (all strictly Italian) and the number of visitors and buyers
from over 40 different countries.
“Given the solid foundation laid with the first edition, we are working with the Chamber of Commerce of Pordenone
and other institutions in the area,” said Alessandro Zanetti, managing director of Pordenone Fiere, “so that, with
time, Happy Business To You will become an international event of reference in the field of design contract, and encourage
meeting between the excellence of Italian industry, and designers and contractors worldwide. This partnership
agreement with the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia is an important goal that we
had set for ourselves.”
Throughout the period of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia, architects,
engineers, designers, journalists and students can learn about the initiative organized by Pordenone Fiere
thanks to a dedicated workstation within the space of the Gardens. In the same period, Happy Business to You
will be a supporter of the Collateral Event “Alvaro Siza. Viagem sem Program” which will take place 29 August
- 10 November 2012 at the Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice. The exhibition will be entirely dedicated
to the Portuguese architect, who was recently awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 13th
International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia.
NUMBERS FOR THE FIRST EDITION HAPPY BUSINESS TO YOU
15,700 m2 of exhibition space - 122 exhibitors
Over 7,000 trade visitors - 12% presence of foreign visitors from 41 countries
830 meetings arranged through an innovative online calendar
Press Office: Simona Maldarelli +39 (0)335 7024597 - Greta Ruffino +39 (0)339 1617953
press@happybusinesstoyou.it www.happybusinesstoyou.it
tel +39 0434 232111 - fax +39 0434-570415

HAPPY BUSINESS TO YOU, THE FIRST TRADE FAIR DEDICATED TO
CONTRACT MADE IN ITALY, ON THE SIDE OF THE 13th INTERNATIONAL
ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION - LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
Venice, August 27th 2012_The mission of Happy Business To You, a trade fair dedicated to the contract industry, is
renewed by its support of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia. The important sponsorship
initiative was created in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce of Pordenone.
Happy Business To You International Contract Fair (scheduled 13-16 February 2013 and organized by Pordenone Fiere
Spa) has an absolutely unique and special feature: it is completely dedicated to the meeting between supply and
demand in fields like “ turn-key “ supply which, despite the global crisis, is in constant expansion, involving specific
projects and major orders in the Residential, Large Community, Hospitality (Hotel, Cafe, Restaurant) and Naval
sectors.
Thanks to a strategic geographical position that puts the exhibition in the heart of the furniture manufacturing
districts, Happy Business To You is able - as overwhelmingly positive data from last year’s edition shows - to
create new business opportunities for exhibitors (carefully selected from the best Italian brands in the furniture
sector), international buyers, national and foreign architectural studios and the world’s top contractors. For the
duration of the fair, “Open Factories” allows participants to visit companies, know them inside their own walls
and discover where and how real Made in Italy is born.
In addition to having understood the demands of the sector, the last edition of Happy Business To You achieved truly
excellent results in the number of participating exhibitors (all strictly Italian) and the number of visitors and buyers
from over 40 different countries.
“Given the solid foundation laid with the first edition, we are working with the Chamber of Commerce of Pordenone
and other institutions in the area,” said Alessandro Zanetti, managing director of Pordenone Fiere, “so that, with
time, Happy Business To You will become an international event of reference in the field of design contract, and encourage
meeting between the excellence of Italian industry, and designers and contractors worldwide. This partnership
agreement with the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia is an important goal that we
had set for ourselves.”
Throughout the period of the 13th International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia, architects,
engineers, designers, journalists and students can learn about the initiative organized by Pordenone Fiere
thanks to a dedicated workstation within the space of the Gardens. In the same period, Happy Business to You
will be a supporter of the Collateral Event “Alvaro Siza. Viagem sem Program” which will take place 29 August
- 10 November 2012 at the Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice. The exhibition will be entirely dedicated
to the Portuguese architect, who was recently awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 13th
International Architecture Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia.
NUMBERS FOR THE FIRST EDITION HAPPY BUSINESS TO YOU
15,700 m2 of exhibition space - 122 exhibitors
Over 7,000 trade visitors - 12% presence of foreign visitors from 41 countries
830 meetings arranged through an innovative online calendar
Press Office: Simona Maldarelli +39 (0)335 7024597 - Greta Ruffino +39 (0)339 1617953
press@happybusinesstoyou.it www.happybusinesstoyou.it
tel +39 0434 232111 - fax +39 0434-570415

ROLEX OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF 13TH INTERNATIONAL
ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION – LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
Venice, 27 August 2012 – Rolex announced that it has become a sponsor for the first time of the
International Architecture Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia – the world’s leading architectural forum.
In addition to its official sponsorship, Rolex is supporting two major works in Sir David Chipperfield’s
“Common Ground” exhibition at la Biennale di Venezia. One is a collaboration between Álvaro Siza and
Eduardo Souto de Moura that draws on links between the exhibition venue and Venice. The installation
comprises two separate structures that will grace the gardens at the Arsenale.
Álvaro Siza’s contribution to architecture is well-known to Rolex. Ten years ago, he was the inaugural
mentor in visual arts of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. Jordanian architect Sahel Al-Hiyari
was selected by Siza as his protégé, and the two worked together in 2002 and 2003.
In line with Rolex’s support to young talents, the company has helped finance the installation “The Big
Balcony” by 31-year-old British architect Alison Crawshaw at the entrance of the Central Pavilion at the
Giardini, one of the most visible images of this year’s Biennale.
The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative is a global philanthropic programme that pairs artistic
masters with promising young artists for a year of creative collaboration. As of 2012, architecture will
be a separate category in the Rolex Arts Initiative, which covers literature, music, visual arts, dance, film
and theatre.
Rolex is the world’s largest manufacturer of luxury timepieces. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland,
Rolex enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all
certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige.
A pioneer in the development of the wristwatch from 1905 onwards, Rolex is the originator of numerous
major watchmaking innovations. Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential
components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and
finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts,
science, exploration, sports, the environment and culture through a broad range of sponsorships and
philanthropic activities.
www.rolex.com
Media enquiries:
Jane Quinn, Bolton & Quinn
+44 (0) 20 7221 5000
jq@boltonquinn.com
www.rolexmentorprotege.com
Anne-Sophie de Guigné, The Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative
+41 22 302 2200, or +41 22 302 7688 (direct)
anne-sophie.deguigne@rolex.com

ROLEX OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF 13TH INTERNATIONAL
ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION – LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
Venice, 27 August 2012 – Rolex announced that it has become a sponsor for the first time of the
International Architecture Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia – the world’s leading architectural forum.
In addition to its official sponsorship, Rolex is supporting two major works in Sir David Chipperfield’s
“Common Ground” exhibition at la Biennale di Venezia. One is a collaboration between Álvaro Siza and
Eduardo Souto de Moura that draws on links between the exhibition venue and Venice. The installation
comprises two separate structures that will grace the gardens at the Arsenale.
Álvaro Siza’s contribution to architecture is well-known to Rolex. Ten years ago, he was the inaugural
mentor in visual arts of the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. Jordanian architect Sahel Al-Hiyari
was selected by Siza as his protégé, and the two worked together in 2002 and 2003.
In line with Rolex’s support to young talents, the company has helped finance the installation “The Big
Balcony” by 31-year-old British architect Alison Crawshaw at the entrance of the Central Pavilion at the
Giardini, one of the most visible images of this year’s Biennale.
The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative is a global philanthropic programme that pairs artistic
masters with promising young artists for a year of creative collaboration. As of 2012, architecture will
be a separate category in the Rolex Arts Initiative, which covers literature, music, visual arts, dance, film
and theatre.
Rolex is the world’s largest manufacturer of luxury timepieces. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland,
Rolex enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all
certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige.
A pioneer in the development of the wristwatch from 1905 onwards, Rolex is the originator of numerous
major watchmaking innovations. Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential
components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and
finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts,
science, exploration, sports, the environment and culture through a broad range of sponsorships and
philanthropic activities.
www.rolex.com
Media enquiries:
Jane Quinn, Bolton & Quinn
+44 (0) 20 7221 5000
jq@boltonquinn.com
www.rolexmentorprotege.com
Anne-Sophie de Guigné, The Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative
+41 22 302 2200, or +41 22 302 7688 (direct)
anne-sophie.deguigne@rolex.com

VOLUME IS TECHNICAL SPONSOR OF THE 13 th INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE
EXHIBITION – LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA
Volume provides the specialised tailor-made lighting, video and audio solutions
Venice, August 27 th , 2012. The 13th International Architecture Exhibition – la Biennale di
Venezia which will run on August 29 th , 2012 will involve Volume - a company of
Mediacontech Group - as the technical sponsor.
Volume, which has operated since 1983 in the audio, video, lights and diffusion of scents
sectors, will oversee all installations, including those site-specific and the exhibitions in the
various pavilions in the Giardini della Biennale and at Arsenale, creating high-quality tailormade
solutions in the form of: video, light, audio and musical software support projects.
Through it’s organisation, Mediacontech, an international group providing digital media
solutions and services, previously technical sponsor of the 54 th International Art Exhibition
and 12 th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia, enhances the full
range of internationally important artistic and cultural displays, thanks to a decade of
experience, a specific know how and the use of the most cutting-edge technologies
available.
Volume
Volume Srl is a leading technological partner for agencies and businesses, both in Italy and
internationally, meeting all communication initiative and event needs with an integrated
technological consultancy and innovative technical solutions offer (audio, video and light).
In the fashion, corporate communication, shows and exhibitions and cultural festivals
sectors, Volume works with directors, artists, stage designers, architects, light designers
and orchestral directors throughout the world.
For further information
Volume
Mediacontech Group
Via dei Pestagalli 31
Marketing
20138 Milan Via Messina 38, Torre A
tel. +39 02 58018494 Tel +39 02 34594.900
volume@volume.it
marketing@mediacontech.com
www.volume.it
www.mediacontech.it

Press Release
TRENITALIA/LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA: DISCOUNTS FOR
THE 13TH INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION
reserved to CARTAFRECCIA members and visitors travelling to
Venice on Frecciargento and Frecciabianca
Venice, 27 August 2012
Discounts on tickets for Trenitalia customers travelling to Venice by train to visit the
13th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia at the
Arsenale and the Giardini (from 29 Aug. to 25 Nov.).
The reductions, which are the result of the renovated agreement between Gruppo
Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane and la Biennale di Venezia, will be reserved to
CARTAFRECCIA holders (Trenitalia membership card) and visitors travelling to the
lagoon city on Frecciargento and Frecciabianca trains. Trenitalia is, in fact, the official carrier
of the event.
To get the discounts visitors travelling by train must show their train ticket with date of
travel max. 3 days before. CARTAFRECCIA holders, instead, must exhibit their
Trenitalia card at the Exhibition box office.
The same discounts will be also applied for the purchase of the tickets of some of the
screenings scheduled in the official program of the 69th International Film Festival at
Lido from 29 Aug. to 8 Sept.
Every day 38 Frecciabianca trains connect Venice to Milan and 30 Frecciargento travel
between the Capital City and Venice, for a total of about 14 thousand seats. Moreover, a
Frecciabianca train now connects Venice to Lecce.
Trenitalia timetable has also introduced a new pricing system, based on three levels:
Supereconomy, Economy and Base, studied to increase simplicity, flexibility and convenience,
with different discount levels on the Base price. The Base ticket guarantees unlimited
reservation changes free of charge up to the train departure.
The appointments of la Biennale di Venezia will be reported and discussed on the media
of Gruppo FS Italiane, on the La Freccia magazine and on the new media, FSNews,
FSNews Radio, LaFreccia.TV and Twitter, with the @fsnews_IT profile.
With this collaboration, Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane confirms its commitment to
promoting culture alongside international prestigious institutions.
It is a natural vocation for a Company that has been rooted in the civil and economic
fabric of the Country for over one century, which accounts today for about 74
thousands workers, and transports 600 millions passengers every year on a railway
network of over 16,700 km, of which 1,000 for HS trains.

13 th International Architecture Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia
VIVATICKET PRE-SALE AND TICKETING SERVICES
Charta, company of the Best Union Group, is placing once again its experience in managing sales, pre-sales and
promotion for cultural events at disposal of la Biennale di Venezia for the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition.
Ticket sales will be available through all of the Vivaticket national sales distribution channels:
Online at www.vivaticket.it
Payment methods: credit card, PayPal, Pago InConto Intesa SanPaolo, PagOnline UniCredit
Call center
89.24.24 Pronto PagineGialle®
Working 365 days a year, 24/7. Social oriented service for Italy only, info and tolls at www.892424.it.
899.666.805 Call center Vivaticket (from abroad dial + 39 0445 230313)
Mondays to Fridays from 8am to 8pm, Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. Info and tolls at www.vivaticket.it
Vivaticket sales points all over Italy
More than 400 sales points throughout Italy, including several HelloVenezia and IAT points in the Venice district. Full list
available online at www.vivaticket.it
Vivaticket Mobile
The brand new Vivaticket mobile app for iPhone and Android platforms is here! You can buy tickets or get updates
for your favourite performances and shows with the Vivaticket app available at the Apple Store or Google Play. Further
information available at www.vivaticket.it/mobile.php
Moreover, admission tickets will be available for direct customer printing thanks to the Print@Home option which
allows the visitor to access the location directly avoiding queues at the box office.
Best Union Company is also the Official Supplier of the software management service for the Preview of the
13th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia.
Best Union Company S.p.A. is the Italian leading company in production and marketing of electronic ticketing systems
and access control and the most relevant operator in management and organization of welcome and security services. Best
Union Company is the Italian leader in the fields of trade fairs and sporting events, especially in football, and, with its direct
and strategic presence in 4 countries (Italy, England, America and Singapore), it is one of the main players in the theme parks
field on the international market. Among them the Disney Park in Orlando, the Universal Studios in Los Angeles and the largest
indoor park of the world, recently opened in the United Arab Emirates.
Charta S.r.l. is a company of the Best Union Group which sells on-line and off-line tickets, deals with access control
management and provides services connected to cultural event management. Among its customers Charta Srl serves more
than 200 cultural institutions such as La Scala Theatre in Milan, San Carlo Theatre in Naples, Comunale Theatre in Bologna and
The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci. It is also the fourth player in Italy as regards ticketing market and the leading player
for cultural event ticketing. The company owns the second website (www.vivaticket.it) in terms of access numbers and
more than 500 sales points in Italy.
The area of expertise of Charta Srl - together with the other companies of the group Best Union - allows to face all the
market demands and confirms the group Best Union as the nationally effective leader in ticketing
management.
Charta S.r.l. a socio unico
Via San. Martino, 1/A – 48020 S.Agata (RA) – Tel. +39 0545 915000 – Fax +39 0545 915008 www.vivaticket.it
Cod.Fisc./P.Iva/Iscr.Reg.Imprese 01186640395 – Iscr.REA RA 15380 – Capitale Sociale € 100.000,00 i. v.
Ufficio Milano: Via Ettore Ponti, 55 – 20135 Milano – Fax +39 02 23369240
Sotto direzione e controllo di Best Union Company Spa

A special thanks to those that have generously contributed as donors to the
13 th International Architecture Exhibition
Rolex
The Blavatnik Family Foundation
TASCHEN
Zumtobel
Valentino SpA
AMOREPACIFIC Corporation
Eugenio López, FOUNDATION / COLLECTION JUMEX
Kvadrat
Peek & Cloppenburg KG
Shanghai Rockbund
B&B Italia
Arup
Editoriale Domus SpA
Alfred Akirov, Café Royal, London
Drees & Sommer
Arend e Brigitte Oetker
Project² / Land Invest Group
Ringier AG
Rolf e Maryam Sachs
Charles Rifkind insieme a Peter Williams
Sellar Developments
Governmental institutions:

Press Release
AtCasa.it, media partner of the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition of la
Biennale di Venezia, presents “Special Biennale”
Even in 2012 AtCasa.it, the RCS design portal directed by Silvia Robertazzi, will be the media partner
of the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition of la Biennale di Venezia (29 th August – 25 th
November), following all the phases of the event through the “Special Biennale”: from opening live for
press on August 27 th and 28 th to the closing ceremony on November 25 th .
Articles, gallery, videos and blog will tell live the whole event and AtCasa.it, with its “Special Biennale”,
will give numerous previews, available from August 20 th , with introduction to themes of David
Chipperfield direction, insights on historical pavilions, Golden Lions, Golden Lions for Lifetime
Achievement and some focuses on countries which will participate for the first time.
Online and on the social networks, from Facebook to Twitter and Instagram, thanks to AtCasa.it, users
can tell impressions and follow comments about this important event and, for the first time, they can
also post their pictures via Instagram - writing #biennalearch - live from Venice and from Biennale
locations. The pictures will be posted on the “Special Biennale” home page of AtCasa.it along with the
shots sent by the editorial staff.
Into the “Special Biennale” will be available the downloading of iBiennale, the official app from the 13th
International Architecture Exhibition, which includes also contents by AtCasa.it
Milan, August 27, 2012
For further information:
RCS MediaGroup - Media Relations
Barbara Ruggeri + 39 (0)2 25845414
barbara.ruggeri@rcs.it
www.rcsmediagroup.it

iBiennale Architettura 2012
The official app of la Biennale di Venezia has been refreshed
for the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition
iBiennale Architettura 2012 is the new application of la Biennale di Venezia, designed expressly to
satisfy the demands of everyone who’s interested in the 13 th International Architecture Exhibition.
The contents are arranged dynamically, depending on whether the user is actually in Venice and
ready to visit the exhibition or wishes to consult the material from afar. On either the iPad or the
iPhone, iBiennale is an extremely useful tool to help visitors orient themselves quickly and catch
all the sensations of la Biennale di Venezia.
A set of interactive maps guides visitors through the pavilions and helps them explore the works
of architecture based on their physical location. But the maps aren’t just geographical: contents are
also arranged into an infographic system that immediately provides visual information about the
participating architects and the themes they’ve taken on, about the tools and materials they’ve
used to illustrate their projects, and about connections between the various works in the exhibition
catalogue.
Images, videos and virtual visits provide a clear, engaging overview of all the works of
architecture on display. The app also goes in depth with articles and other extra material, to
enhance the quality of a visit. Then, a personal section lets users share their experiences and their
favorite designs on social networks by posting their own notes.
iBiennale Architettura 2012 was designed and built by LOG607, a company that was founded on
the H-Farm and is now a subsidiary of Marsilio Editori, a major Italian publisher. It will be
available for purchase at the AppStore starting when the exhibition opens, on August 27 th .
For more information, please write to: support@ibiennale-log607.com