Venice Biennale, Architecture : Information + Images

Images 250908: David Grandorge Angela Catlin GHA Hoskins wins Biennale Pavilion Gareth Hoskins Architects win Gathering Space competition, to design Scotland’s first Venice Biennale pavilion. 1 May 2008 Over 50 anonymous submissions. GHA’s proposal based on dual concept of stair as ‘gathering place’, like Rome’s Spanish Steps, and the stair as an ‘enclosure’ – sheltering up to 100 people below. Commendations: Paul Taylor; Graham Massie Architects; JM Architects The Gathering Space will be in situ in a major piazza during the first week of the Biennale. Entry by Oliver Chapman Architects: Entry by Graeme Massie Architects: Entry by gm+ad architects: Jury: Nick Barley, Executive Director of The Lighthouse Morag Bain Director, ACCESS to Architecture Leonie Bell, Programme Director, The Lighthouse Emily Campbell, The British Council Ian Gilzean, Chief Architect - Scottish Government’s Architecture Policy Unit Rory Olcayto, Senior Reporter, Building Design "Public stairs as seating has had a long tradition of being a type of informal gathering place, previous precedents include the Spanish Steps in Rome and the entrance stairs at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. These places are vital to the urban environment. If all the world is a stage, then the urban stair and the people who use them can be thought of as the audience". Gareth Hoskins Gareth Hoskins Architects’ vision, “the stairs as space”, proposes a physical presence in Venice that offers both an indoor auditorium and an external gathering space in an installation which will be constructed entirely from either sustainably sourced or reclaimed timber. On the outside a set of public stairs, with seating for up to 200 people, will be used both for organized events and informal gatherings. Meanwhile the stairs form a roof which rises above the indoor auditorium, a space which is expected to seat 80-100 people. The design is based on an original idea by Elisa Yon. Venice Biennale 2008 Proposal Scotland is to get their own exhibition, organised by The Lighthouse, titled the 'Gathering Space', created by a Scottish-based practice. Nick Barley and the government are to be congratulated for this bold decision - this site wishes the venture great success News Release 20 Mar 2008 Venice Biennale landscape installation : Gustafson Porter Student competition Venice Biennale organisers announce a student competition: Everyville 2008 Winning submissions to be exhibited at Biennale Website: www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/everyville/ Dedicated presence for Scotland at 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale Scotland is to have a dedicated presence at the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale it was announced today, 20 March 2008. Organised by The Lighthouse, Scotland’s national Architecture and Design Centre, the presence will take the form of a specially designed “Gathering Space”, created by a Scottish-based architects practice, in which leading voices from architecture and design in Scotland will come together with internationally renowned figures for a programme of events, discussions and debates, including an debate, in association with the British Pavilion, looking at housing. The Gathering Space will be a temporary installation located in one of the many busy piazzas in central Venice. Announcing the news Nick Barley, Director of The Lighthouse, said “The Venice Biennale brings together the finest architectural minds in the world. It is an event where countries, large and small, show the world the quality and sophistication of their architects, architecture and ideas. For the Scottish presence this year we have decided to take a novel approach in line with the theme of the Biennale - Architecture Beyond Building. The Gathering Space, aims to harness the buzz of the and boundless energy of the Biennale with a lively programme of events bringing together Scottish and international voices to stimulate debate, exchange ideas and address the key architectural issues facing the world today.” The Scottish Government has awarded a grant of £75,000 towards The Gathering Space as part of a programme of initiatives aimed at showcasing contemporary Scotland in an international context: Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture Linda Fabiani said: “The Venice Biennale is the most important architecture event in the world and the Scottish Government is delighted to support The Gathering Space. This will truly highlight Scottish design excellence. Scotland’s built heritage is so rich, and the high quality of some of our newer architectural design so impressive. The Gathering Space will be a hive of activity during the Venice Biennale, showcasing Scotland as a place of creativity, imagination and innovation.” The 11th Venice Architecture Biennale is directed by Aaron Betsky, formerly Director of the acclaimed Netherlands Architecture Institute. Introducing the theme of this year’s event - Out There. Architecture Beyond Building – he says: “Out There. Architecture Beyond Building points out what should be an obvious fact: architecture is not building. Buildings are objects and the act of building leads to such objects, but architecture is something else. The way we think and talk about buildings, how we represent them, how we build them - this is architecture. . More generally, architecture is a way of representing, shaping and perhaps even offering critical alternatives to the human-made environment.” A competition has been launched for a Scottish-based practice to design the Gathering Space. Judging will take place towards the end of April 2008. Media Partner for The Gathering Space will be BD, one of the UK’s leading architectural publications. Further details of the programme for the Gathering Place will be announced later in the year. The Gathering Space will be in situ during the first week of the Biennale. The Lighthouse previously showed the touring exhibition, Landforms, in the Arsenale at the 2004 Architecture Biennale Venice Biennale - 2004 Review + Images