City Space Architecture meets Venice Architecture Biennale 2016
REPORTING FROM THE FRONT, curated by Alejandro Aravena
We are very glad to announce that City Space Architecture has signed an agreement with La Biennale di Venezia in order to be included in the "Biennale Sessions", a special program promoted by the Venice Architecture Biennale for Universities, Academies of Fine Arts and Higher Education Institutions in order to be actively involved in the visit of the exhibition and promote special events and meetings, as part of our educational activities.
The 15th International Architecture Exhibition, titled REPORTING FROM THE FRONT, is curated by Alejandro Aravena and chaired by Paolo Baratta. The exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday May 28th to Sunday November 27th 2016 at the Giardini and the Arsenale.
"The lady on the ladder who, climbing up onto the highest steps can gaze over a far broader horizon, and by doing so conquers an “expanded eye”, announces the Biennale Architettura 2016 curated by Alejandro Aravena. We immediately loved this picture – stated President Paolo Baratta - because in a way it represents la Biennale as a whole, with our attitudes and our goals.
“What does the lady see? I think - commented Baratta - mainly desolated land comprising immense swathes of human habitation which no human could be proud of; great disappointments representing a sad, infinite number of missed opportunities for humanity’s ability to act intelligently. Much of this is tragic, much is banal, and it seems to mark the end of architecture. But she also sees signs of creativity and hope, and she sees them in the here-and-now, not in some uncertain aspirational, ideological future."
“We are not interested in architecture as the manifestation of a formal style, but rather as an instrument of self-government, of humanist civilisation, and as a demonstration of the ability of humans to become masters of their own destinies.”
“Architecture in action as an instrument of social and political life, challenges us to assess the public consequences of private actions at a more fundamental level.”
"Presenting architecture in action is also one of the answers to the permanent question raised by La Biennale. What is an architecture exhibition? – asked Baratta. And what should an architecture biennale be? In the Biennale Arte, which is the parent of the Biennale Architettura, the works are there in front of the visitors; with an architecture exhibition, the works are elsewhere. What should there be here? And indeed, the search goes on. We must avoid turning into a magazine, a convention, a critical essay, or a place for specialists alone: an exhibition just for architects. We also need to avoid condescension and falling into the trap whereby architects are tempted to present themselves as artists."
“We need to engage with the public and with all possible stakeholders in the decisions and actions whereby our living spaces are created, both as individuals and as communities. As Architecture is the most political of all the arts - concluded the President - "the Biennale Architettura must recognise this.”
