Bahrain inaugurates national pavilion at 19th Venice Architecture Biennale
Venice, May 10 (BNA): The Kingdom of Bahrain inaugurated its national pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia. The pavilion, titled Heatwave, is located at the Arsenale in the heart of Venice, Italy.
The opening was attended by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and Commissioner of the Pavilion.
This marks Bahrain’s eighth participation in the Biennale, highlighting its architectural perspective on addressing environmental and social challenges.
On this occasion, Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed said that Bahrain’s participation in the Biennale forms part of national efforts to strengthen the Kingdom’s cultural presence internationally. He noted that the Heatwave pavilion reflects Bahrain’s commitment to exploring innovative, sustainable responses to climate related challenges, inspired by its geography and architectural heritage.
He added that the pavilion is the result of rigorous scientific research carried out by a team of architects and researchers, aimed at influencing architectural practice locally and internationally. He underscored the pivotal role of architecture in building resilient societies and adapting to global change, while emphasising the Biennale’s value as a platform for global exchange and future focused collaboration.
The pavilion was curated and designed by Andrea Faraguna, who also led the research. Contributors to the accompanying publication include 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 was developed by Alexander Puzrin and Mario Monotti.
The Heatwave pavilion presents an architectural proposal addressing rising global temperatures. It introduces a passive outdoor cooling system inspired by traditional Bahraini techniques, aimed at improving environmental adaptability and promoting sustainability in regions experiencing increasing heatwaves.
The design features a geothermal well and a solar chimney that channel ground humidity into external airflow. It is conceived as a modular structure adaptable to diverse urban settings. The pavilion explores passive cooling and shading strategies and their role in mitigating heat, linking climate, architecture, and social equity.
In parallel with the pavilion, the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities is releasing a publication including digital simulations, expert essays, and field studies, extending the impact of the research underpinning the project.
More details on the Kingdom of Bahrain’s participation and the Heatwave pavilion are available at www.bahrainpavilion.bh and on social media via @bah.pavilion.
