Padiglione Arabia Saudita alla 18. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura –La Biennale di Venezia

Saudi Arabia Pavilion at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia

SPACE, TIME, IMMATERIAL, INVISIBLE, SENSE, SYMBIOSIS: HERITAGE, PAST, FUTURE, REFLECTION

Saudi Arabia participates for the third time in the International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia with the IRTHإرث project, a sensory exploration of Saudi architectural heritage, bridging the past and the future.

• IRTHإرث [which means "heritage" in Arabic] responds to the theme of the international exhibition "The Laboratory of the Future" by examining the symbiotic relationship between material and immaterial in Saudi architecture, the union that influences the perception of those who inhabit a place and their relationship with space.
• The team representing the country consists of architect AlBara Saimaldahar, Managing Partner of the design studio Dahr, and curators Basma and Noura Bouzo, co-founders of &bouqu, a creative and cultural consulting company.
• Commissioned by the Architecture and Design Commission, one of the 11 commissions established by the Ministry of Culture, the Saudi Arabia Pavilion is open for visitation at the Arsenale - Sale d'Armi from May 20th to November 26th, 2023.

Venice, May 17, 2023 - The Saudi Arabia National Pavilion presents its third participation in the 18th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia with the exhibition "IRTH إرث [heritage]" curated by the two sisters Basma and Noura Bouzo and designed by Architect AlBara Saimaldahar.

To respond to the theme of the international exhibition "The Laboratory of the Future," the Saudi Arabia Pavilion examines the symbiotic relationship between material and immaterial, a union that influences the perception of those who inhabit a place and their relationship with space.

The materials used to shape houses and humanized environments tell us a lot about the inhabitants of a country or a geographic area, starting from the tangible and intangible qualities that define the character of spaces and objects. Materials contain stories, encapsulating valuable teachings that constitute the heritage upon which to build the future. It is a dynamic heritage, of which each individual is both recipient and artisan, projecting the nostalgia of traditional knowledge towards innovation, creating a line of continuous evolution.

IRTH إرث [heritage] offers an interactive exploration of this line that connects the past and the future, starting from the constitutive element of traditional Saudi architecture: earth. As a structural and architectural cladding material, earth is used and evoked here in the texture and color that traverses the entire tonal range of Arabian red earth, from the hinterland to the Red Sea coast.

The Pavilion's design is characterized by a multi-layered approach, allowing visitors to interpret it from different perspectives. On one hand, the structure, articulated in multiple sections, reflects on the method and use of traditional components together with innovative techniques. On the other hand, the exhibition content narrates the present and future of materiality in the Saudi architectural context. The exhibition, designed by architect AlBara Saimaldahar, combines the ideas of nostalgia, heritage, and versatility. The layout looks to the future through the lens of the past, showcasing the intrinsic essence of Saudi craftsmanship through elaborate artifacts, incorporating traditional motifs from Al-Balad, the old city of Jedd... .