Kingdom of Bahrain participates at 19th La Biennale di Venezia

Venice, May 8 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain will open its National Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia on May 9, under the title Heatwave. Marking the Kingdom’s eighth participation in the Biennale, this edition explores the overarching theme "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective", which addresses architecture’s role in responding to global challenges.

The Kingdom's participation was commissioned by Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), and curated by architect Andrea Faraguna, who also led the design and research. The accompanying publication features contributions by Eman Ali, Abdulla Janahi, Alexander Puzrin, Caitlin Mueller, Eduardo Gascón Alvarez, Jonathan Brearley, Laila Al Shaikh, Latifa Al Khayat, Leslie Norford, Maitham Al Mubarak, Maryam Al Jomairi, Mohammad Salim, Paris Bezanis, Viola Zhang, and Wafa Al Ghatam. The structural design of the pavilion was developed by Alexander Puzrin and Mario Monotti.

Located in the historic Artiglierie section of the Arsenale, the pavilion presents an architectural proposal to address the growing challenge of rising global temperatures. Drawing inspiration from traditional Bahraini cooling techniques, it introduces a passive outdoor cooling installation designed to promote environmental resilience and social sustainability, particularly in countries at the forefront of extreme heat.

The design concept integrates a geothermal well and a solar chimney, connecting underground conditions with exterior air. Conceived as a modular unit, it is adaptable for scalable implementation across diverse urban environments. The pavilion explores the potential of passive cooling and shading structures in Bahrain to mitigate the effects of extreme heat and serves as a focal point where climate, architecture, and social equity intersect.

In conjunction with the pavilion, BACA will be releasing a publication featuring numerical analysis, expert essays, and field surveys, extending the pavilion’s impact beyond its physical installation.

For more information on the Kingdom of Bahrain’s participation in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition and the Heatwave pavilion, please visit www.bahrainpavilion.bh or follow @bah.pavilion on social media.