La Biennale di Venezia
19th International Architecture Exhibition,
la Biennale di Venezia,
May 10 to November 23, 2025
Christoph Hesse Architects was invited to participate in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Carlo Ratti. Our work was presented at the Arsenale, at the German Pavilion in the Giardini, and through an on-site installation on the island of Sant’Erasmo in the Venetian Lagoon.
Arsenale
At the Arsenale, we presented two projects exploring architecture as a cultural tool for transformation, focusing on regenerative building cultures, participation, and rural futures.
Open Mind Places
The Open Mind Places were part of an ongoing architectural and cultural network creating spaces for encounter, reflection, and community building. Rooted in rural contexts, the projects investigated how architecture could strengthen collective identity and open new perspectives on belonging, self-efficacy, and future-oriented ways of living.
The Research Centre for Earth Architecture
Developed in collaboration with LUO Studio, this project investigated earth-based construction methods and the architectural potential of local material intelligence. It contributed to broader research on sustainable building cultures, circular thinking, and low-impact construction practices.
German Pavilion | Giardini
At the German Pavilion, our project Room of Silence was presented as part of the exhibition STRESSTEST, curated by Nicola Borgmann, Elisabeth Endres, Gabriele G. Kiefer, and Daniele Santucci.
The project proposed a cool and sheltered city meeting point developed as a participatory neighbourhood project. Conceived as a place for gathering and pause, it explored how architecture could create spatial comfort and calmness through simple strategies, reuse, and collective engagement.
Venice Harvest Pavilion | Sant’Erasmo
On the agricultural island of Sant’Erasmo, we developed the Venice Harvest Pavilion, a temporary space for workshops and discussions on territory, agriculture, and the preservation of the Venetian Lagoon’s natural and cultural heritage.
The pavilion was realised together with Caterina Padoa Schioppa (Sapienza University of Rome), Valentino Marini Govigli (University of Bologna), the i&s farm owners Savino Cimarosto and Ilaria Abrami, and the local community.
From May to November, the pavilion hosted a series of on-site workshops exploring shared strategies for regenerative thinking and action. The project’s outcomes were presented at the Speakers’ Corner at the Arsenale as part of the Biennale programme.