FREESPACE Zeniths

25. Mai 2018

Lacaton & Vassal with steps leading up to Peter Zumthor (All photographs by John Hill/World-Architects)

Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, curators of the 16th International Architecture Exhibition, have described the buildings of the Biennale as active participants in the exhibition. In the Central Pavilion in the Giardini, they peeled back layers of historical additions to reveal the skylights and make the zenith light integral to the exhibits on display. Take a short tour through some of these spaces.

The first proper gallery space, after entering the Central Pavilion and walking through a FREESPACE, is devoted to precedent studies in model form carried out by sixteen architects.

The blue-walled mezzanine overlooking the precedent models is devoted to models by Peter Zumthor's studio. Not surprisingly, it was one of the most crowded spots during the preview.

Amateur Architecture Studio placed their large-scale sectional model directly beneath the skylight.

Italian architect Cino Zucchi placed a small room beneath the skylight...

...Its interior is generously illuminated by a small aperture bringing natural light from the skylight above.

BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group softened the light coming into the gallery occupied by their model of Manhattan shoreline in the year 2050.

The flooring in the room for Caruso St. John Architects with Philip Heckhausen echoes the rectangular skylight overhead.