La Biennale di Venezia 2010
The Nordic Pavilion 2010, La Biennale di Venezia Architettura
General Press Information
The 12th International Architecture Biennale in Venice opens to the public on August 29, 2010. The Nordic Pavilion in Giardini will show Nordic Public Spaces, relating to the general theme “People Meet in Architecture”, declared by this year’s Biennale director, the Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima.
The Swedish Museum of Architecture is the coordinating commissioner for the 2010 Nordic Pavilion, and is responsible for the exhibition concept. The architecture exhibition in the Nordic Pavilion, called ”Stay in Touch”, presents 18 built proposals by Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish architects, where architecture contributes to interaction, approachability, contemplation and activity. In complement to the exhibition ”Stay in touch”, the Nordic Pavilion also presents a combined lounge and residence programme called ”At Work With”, where 12 young architecture offices are present in the pavilion one week each during the 12 weeks of the 2010 Venice Biennale.
Commissioners and collaborators
Commissioner/Coordinator: Karin Åberg Waern
Commissioners: Kristiina Nivari, Eva Madshus
Deputy Commissioners: Lena Rahoult, Malin Zimm, Hannu Hellman, Nina Berre
Collaborators: The Nordic Pavilion is a collaboration between:
- The Swedish Museum of Architecture, Stockholm
- The Finnish Museum of Architecture, Helsinki - www.mfa.fi
- The Norwegian National Museum, Oslo - www.nasjonalmuseet.no
The Nordic participation 2010 is supported by The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and The Nordic Culture Fund.
Opening information
Venue: Nordic Pavilion at Giardini
Official opening of the Nordic Pavilion: Friday August 27, 1 pm. Inauguration by the Swedish ambassador in Rome Anders Bjurner. Venue: Nordic Pavilion at Giardini.
Press tour of the Nordic Pavilion: Friday August 27, 10:30 am
Biennale opening hours: The exhibitions are open from 10 am – 6 pm. The Giardini exhibitions are closed on Mondays (except on August 30 and November 15, 2010). The Arsenale exhibitions are closed on Tuesdays (except on August 31 and November 16). The 12th International Architecture Biennale in Venice is open from August 29 until November 21, 2010.
Press contacts
General press contact - Nordic Pavilion: Åsa Svensson, asa.svensson@arkitekturmuseet.se
Press images: http://www.arkitekturmuseet.se/english/press_information/La Biennale di Venezia/la-biennale-images-1/
Official webpage for the Venice Biennale: www.labiennale.org
Follow the Nordic Pavilion blog August 27 – November 21, 2010: www.atworkwith.com
Summary of exhibition concept
The concept for the Nordic Pavilion 2010 is two-fold and continuous. The exhibition Stay in Touch – Public Architecture in the Nordic Context, presents 18 built projects by Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish architects.
In addition to this, the Nordic pavilion hosts a social lounge and workshop area, At Work With, where 12 young Nordic architect offices will be present as hosts and discussion partners during the 12 weeks of the Biennale. In combination, the two concepts allow the 2010 Nordic Pavilion to become the meeting point between architecture as representation and architecture as process.
Accessibility: The exhibition Stay in Touch will be equipped with audioguides in English. The Nordic Pavilion is accessible by wheelchair. For wheelchair and level access of the Giardini exhibition area, please see labiennale.org.
Stay in Touch - Public Architecture in the Nordic Context
Stay in Touch - Public Architecture in the Nordic Context displays eighteen Nordic projects responding to the social dimensions and values of resilient and dynamic architecture. Finland, Norway and Sweden are represented by six projects each, showing architecture that put humans in contact with their senses, from the intimacy of the sauna to the opulence of the opera house, and invite the public to meet, make contact, and stay in touch. >Read more
At Work With
At Work With is a social lounge and a residency program during the three months of the biennale. The project has been conceptualized by the Swedish architects Economy (Tor Lindstrand) and Testbedstudio (Anders Johansson and Erik Wingquist). At Work With is constructed as a continuous staging of meetings between practitioners and visitors, a social meeting point that emphasizes exchange and conversations about the limitations of as well as the possibilities for architecture. >Read more
At Work With blog - www.atworkwith.com
Architecture history of the Nordic Pavilion
Architect: Sverre Fehn
Date completed: 1962
Location: Biennale Garden in Venice, Italy.
Sverre Fehn won an international competition to design this exhibition pavilion, famously reconciling the building with nature, allowing trees growing through the roof. Fehn (1924-2009) was Norway’s most prominent architect. He has received numerous awards and prizes for his work throughout the years. In 1997 he was awarded The Pritzker Architecture Prize, ”the Nobel-Prize of Architecture” - the finest recognition you can receive as an architect, as well the Heinrich Tessenow Medal.