The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities invites proposals for the National Pavilion of Bahrain at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia. The theme of the open call is Heatwave.
In the past ten years across the globe, temperatures have broken records of heat consecutively bringing one heat wave after the other. The effects of these heat waves have been felt particularly strongly in the Gulf region which was already known to hold extremely high temperatures in the summer months.
The people of Bahrain would traditionally move to the desert areas of the south during the winter months and back to coastal areas or closer to inland water sources during the hot summer months, and this extended to various occupations as well, with agricultural workers, craftspeople, and traders frequently relocating to optimize their work throughout the seasons. The exhibition aims to explore locally-rooted innovative responses to the challenges posed by climate change and extreme heat.
The call is open internationally, but must include at least one Bahraini national or someone based in Bahrain. Teams can have up to five members from various fields such as curators, architects, artists, historians, designers, theorists, scientists, or critics. They must provide an ambitious exhibition proposal that can be researched, studied, and implemented within the given timeframe. Applicants must be available and committed to working on the project until the opening date.
The Biennale will take place from May 10th to November 23rd, 2025, with a pre-opening on May 8th and 9th. The application process ends on August 15th, 2024, at 11:59 PM (GMT+3).
For more details and to apply, visit the website of the Bahrain Pavilion.
