'Treasures in Disguise' | Montenegro Pavilion @Venice Architecture Biennale 2014

Another pavilion I look forward to!

 

 
Montenegro will present four late-modernist buildings at this year's Venice Architecture Biennale. Unfinished, neglected (in use and maintenance), and uncanny (curatorial description) - they stand as testament to a failed modernism, monumentalism and subsequent breakdown of Yugoslavia. Regarded to be Treasures in Disguise, today they can (very well) start a conversation, even hint at a direction for a possible 'urban regeneration' in the Balkan region.

photo via

“Nobody seems to be able to recognize their value, hence their fate seems sealed: decay and demolition.

But how can something that was born out of a collective optimism lose its promise in such a short period of time? Is the demise of these buildings really due to an intrinsic lack of quality, or have we been unable to treat them with enough empathy to awaken a dormant potential that might be hidden underneath the patina of our own ideological disenchantment with modernism?

The curators of this pavilion believe it is the latter. These buildings represent a cultural resource that is too precious to destroy; if given a second chance, they will surprise us with their unique spatial, programmatic, and social potential. The aim of the exhibition is therefore to help the audience, through architectural representations of the interiors and exteriors of the four buildings, discover the uncanny beauty of structures that, while they look like ruins today, are nothing but treasures in disguise.” (curatorial text via)

photo via

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Open Parliament of Albania at the Austrian Pavilion | Venice Architecture Biennale 2014

Albania gets another mention in Biennale news, this time for the unrealized Open Parliament project at the Piramida (also here, here, here) site in Tirana. 

The Austrian Pavilion will exhibit “Plenum. Places of Power” - the architecture of the parliament and its role in shaping urbanity, publics, national identity and state sovereignty. 

© Coop Himmelb(l)au

A winning entry by Austrian architects Coop Himmelb(l)au 'The New Parliamentary Complex of the Republic of Albania' made the local media and professional rounds as a highly (too much for some) abstracted sculpture (for a state institution that is), replacing another much controversial piece of architecture [although, calling Piramida a piece of architecture is like calling Albanian prime ministers a doctor (S. Berisha) or an artist (E. Rama)].

In my opinion, one of the most interesting aspects of this debate and design, has been the architects' effort and brave attempt to objectively materialize Albanian politics in a public institutional architectural ensemble. It's no secret that Albanians have never put so much faith, fight, blame and hope in one building as they have in Piramida. As though a part of their national identity originated from and deteriorated  with this 'piece of architecture'. 

Well the Austrian pavilion at the Venice Biennale will be discussing some of these very issues:

“The idea of democratic legitimation of power is so widespread today that no nation can do without building such a place, at least in name, for a representative popular assembly,” described commissioner Dr. Christian Kühn. “What do these places look like? And how are they connected to a public whose trust in democratic formation of will seems to be dwindling around the globe?”

The exhibition at the Austrian Pavilion sets out to find answers to these questions from various vantage points. (via)

Definitely something to look forward to.

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Featured Participants | Venice Architecture Biennale 2014

The 14th International Architecture Biennale, directed by Rem Koolhaas (OMA), will run from June 7 to November 23 November 2014 at the Giardini and the Arsenale in Venice, Italy.
 

This year's curatorial choice “Fundamentals” focuses “on histories – on the inevitable elements of all architecture used by any architect, anywhere, anytime (the door, the floor, the ceiling etc.) and on the evolution of national architectures in the last 100 years.” 

In a press conference earlier today, curator Rem Koolhaas introduced the 65 national participants (including 11 new comers) among them Albania and Kosovo:

ALBANIA

Potential Monuments of Unrealised Futures  

Edi Hila, Adrian Paci 

Commissioner: Ministry of Culture  

Curator: Beyond Entropy (Jonida Turani, Stefano Rabolli Pansera)  

Venue: TBA

KOSOVO

Commissioner: Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports 

Curator: Gezim Pacarizi 

Venue: Arsenale Pavilion

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For the full list of countries visit the biennale website.

Architectural Exhibitionism | What are Biennales and Festivals For? Who's the Real Winner?

We talk about architectural biennales and festivals as some of the most glamorous events, where international talents have the privilege to showcase their best (chosen) work, position themselves in the field as well as develop a (future) celebrity status. 

But what are the impacts, motivations and wider issues raised by this format of architectural exhibition and celebration? 

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Flasim për bienalet dhe festivalet e arkitekturës si disa prej eventeve më prestigjoze, ku talentet ndërkombëtare kanë privilegjin të shfaqin punën (e zgjedhur) më të mire, të pozicionojnë veten në këtë fushë, si dhe të formojnë (për të ardhmen) një lloj reputacioni .

Por, cilat janë impaktet, motivimet dhe çështjet më të gjëra që ngre ky format ekspozimi dhe festimi arkitektural?

‘‘ And the Winner is...? is a new series of critical and polemic explorations into architectural culture’s mechanisms for generating and celebrating projects, asking who the real winners are from the ever growing numbers of architecture awards, competitions and festivals.

The list of architecture festivals and biennales grows and grows. The best known, the Venice Biennale of Architecture, was established in 1980, but remains very much the younger sibling of the art biennale (in existence since 1895). 2012 saw the first Istanbul Design Biennale, and 2011 saw New York City host the first Archtober, and the Festival of Ideas for the New City. Other fixtures on the scene include the World Architecture Festival (established in 2008), the Lisbon Architecture Triennale (since 2007), the Shenzhen and Hong Kong Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture (since 2005), and the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (since 2001). London’s own Festival of Architecture, initially launched as a biennale in 2004, will be an annual event from 2013.

Are these events dynamic catalysts to discussing and celebrating the city and architectural culture, or calculated devices of tourism and industrial promotion?  

How can a design biennale effectively impact upon its host city to leave a lasting change? 

And is the architectural profession even suited to the format of the grand exhibition, or has it been forced into an uneasy corner of exhibiting itself and competing on art's terms? ’’via

We should ask these questions more often, but for now you'll find some of the answers at this event.

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‘‘ Dhe Fituesi është...? është një seri e re kërkimesh kritike dhe polemike ndaj mekanizmave kulturore që prodhojnë dhe celebrojnë projektet e arkitekturës, duke shtruar pyetjen se kush jane fituesit e vërtete të çmimeve, konkurseve dhe festivaleve, numri i të cilëve sa vjen e rritet.

Lista e festivaleve dhe bienaleve të arkitekturës sa vjen e rritet. Më i njohuri, Bienalia e Arkitekturës në Venecia, u themelua në 1980, por mbetet akoma i njomë në krahasim me bienalen e artit (në ekzistencë që nga 1895).  Viti 2012 pa Bienalen e parë të Stambollit në Design, dhe në 2011 New York City priti Archtober-in e parë bashkë me Festivalin e Ideve. Evente të tjera mjaft të njohura përfshijnë Festivalin Boteror të Arkitektures ( themeluar në 2008), Trenalien e Arkitekturës në Lisbon (që nga 2005), Bienalen e Urbanistikës/Arkitekturës në Shenzhen dhe Hong Kong, si dhe Bienalen Ndërkombëtare të Arkitekturës në Roterdam (që nga 2001). Festivali i Arkitekturës në Londër filloi si bienale në 2004, por që do të jetë një event vjetor duke filluar që sivjet.

A janë këto evente katalizatorë dinamik për të diskutuar dhe festuar qytetin dhe kulturën arkitekturale, apo pajisje të llogaritura për turizëm dhe promovim industrial? 

Si mund të ndikojë efektivisht një Design Bienale mbi qytetin ku zhvillohet për të lënë një ndryshim të qëndrueshëm?

A është profesioni i arkitekturës i përshtatshëm për këtë format ekspozitash madhështore, apo është shtyrë në një qoshe jo të qartë vetekspozimi dhe konkurimi, kushtet e të cilave janë paracaktuar nga arti? ’’via

Këto janë pyetje që duhen bërë më shpesh, por për momentin disa nga pergjigjet mund ti gjeni në këtë event.

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Featured Artists | Albanian Artists at the 55th Venice Art Biennale (Part 2)

Check out the Albanian Artists at the 55th Venice Art Biennale (Part 1).

For those of you who cannot make it to Venice here's a closer look:

1. Artist: Anri Sala
Commissioner: Institut Français
Curator: Christine Macel
Venue: Pavilion at Giardini

Theme: Ravel Ravel Unravel

2. Artist: Petrit Halilaj
Commissioner: Erzen Shkololli
Curator: Kathrin Rhomberg 

Organization: National Gallery of Kosovo

Venue: Padiglione Repubblica del Kosovo arsenale artiglierie calle della tana 2169/f castello 30122 Venezia

via

via

Check out more photos here.

3. Artist: Sislej Xhafa (more here & here)

Commissioner: Maddalena Ragni

Curator: Bartolomeo Pietromarchi 

Venue: Tese delle Vergini, Arsenale
Theme: Vice Versa / Parallel Paradox

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Featured Artists | Albanian Artists at the 55th Venice Art Biennale

1. Anri Sala // France at the German Pavilion

Shumë galeri me emër sa vjen e më shpesh po zgjedhin artistë të huaj për ti përfaqësuar në ekspozita dhe forume botërore si Bienalja e Venecias. Këtë vit, pas një dekade të gjatë diskutimesh, Franca dhe Gjermania kanë vendosur të shkëmbejnë pavione dhe artisti i përzgjedhur për Francën është artisti shqiptar Anri Sala, i cili është mjaft i njohur, i kualifikuar dhe marrës i mjaft çmimeve prestigjoze ndërkombëtare.  Më shumë mbi punën e Salës këtu, këtu, këtu. 

‘‘ Vepra që Sala ka krijuar për Bienalen titullohet Ravel Ravel Unravel, një lojë delikate fjalësh mbi foljen (ravel) dhe kompozitorin eponim. Instalimi ka në qendër pjesën e krijuar nga Maurice Ravel në 1930 për tu luajtur ekskluzivisht në anën e majtë. Dy filma ku secili fokusohet mbi duart e majtë të dy pianistëve të njohur – Louis Lortie dhe Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – të ftuar nga vetë Sala për të kryer këtë pjesë. Të luajtur në të njëjtën kohë, filmat zbulojnë ndryshimet dhe mospërputhjet midis dy interpretimeve, ndërsa intervali temporal sa vjen e bëhet më i dukshme. Në dhomat ngjitur, dy filma të tjerë tregojnë një DJ që mikson dy performancat Ravel, duke shfaqur kështu një interpretim unik të pjesës; një (zbulim) ‘unravel’ i filmave të parë ‘ravel’'.’’- via

Artisti: Anri Sala
Komisioner: Instituti Francez
Kuratore: Christine Macel
Vendi: Pavijoni GiardiniTema: Ravel Ravel Unravel 

photo via
Christine Macel & Anri Sala © Julien Mignot / Eté 80

Many leading galleries, often have foreign artists represent them, especially for global idea-exchange forums such as the Venice Biennale. This year, after a decade long series of discussions, France and Germany have decided to exchange venues and the selected artist for France is Albanian-born artist Anri Sala. He is an award-winning and very accomplished artist. More about Sala's work here, here, here.

‘‘ The piece he is creating for the Biennale is titled Ravel Ravel Unravel, a subtle word play on the verb and the eponymous composer. In 1930, Maurice Ravel created a concerto to be played exclusively by the left hand, and it is upon this composition that the installation pivots. Two films focus separately upon the left hands of two renowned pianists – Louis Lortie and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – who were invited by Sala to perform the piece. The films, played simultaneously, reveal the differences and discrepancies between the two interpretations of the music, as the temporal lapse becomes more marked. In adjacent rooms, two further films show a DJ mixing the two Ravel performances, becoming a further, unique interpretation of the piece. This, then, becomes the ‘unravel’ to the other films’ ‘ravel’.’’ - via

Artist: Anri Sala
Commissioner: Institut Français
Curator: Christine Macel
Venue: Pavilion at Giardini

Theme: Ravel Ravel Unravel

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2. Petrit Halilaj // 1st Kosovo Pavilion

Pavijoni i Republikës së Kosovës në Bienalen e Venecias, në Edicionin e 55-të të Ekspozitës Ndërkombëtare të Artit 2013 (Pjesëmarrja e parë zyrtare) 

Për herë të parë në histori Republika e Kosovës po përfaqësohet në Bienalen e Venecias, ku artisti i ri Petrit Halilaj do të zhvilloj një instalacion specifik për hapësirën. Nën patronatin e Ministrisë së Kulturës, Rinisë dhe Sporteve të Republikës së Kosovës dhe Galeria Kombëtare e Kosovës.

Artisti: Petrit Halilaj
Komisioner: Erzen Shkololli
Kuratore: Kathrin Rhomberg

Organizimi: Galeria Kombëtare e Kosovës

Vendi: Padiglione repubblica del kosovo arsenale artiglierie calle della tana 2169/f castello 30122 Venezia
Hapja për publik: 1 qershor- 24 nëntor 2013
Hapja profesionale: 29, 30, dhe 31 maj 2013
Hapja e pavijionit: 29 maj, ora 16:30

Petrit Halilaj ka lindur në 1986 në Kostërrc (Kosovë). Ai jeton dhe punon midis Kosovës, Berlinit dhe Bozzolos në Itali.

‘‘ Praktika artistike e Petrit Halilajt është e nxitur nga një hulumtim i vazhdueshëm i asaj se cfarë është realiteti dhe si realiteti mund të prezantohet përmes artit. Kujtimet e tij nga fëmijëria rurale, përvoja personale në luftë, shkatërrimi, eskodi dhe zhvendosja janë baza e reflektimit të tij mbi jetën dhe gjendjen njerëzore. Artisti lëviz mes shteteve të ndryshme: në mes të Kosovës, ku ai është rritur dhe ku jeton familja dhe shumë shokë të tij; Italisë, ku ai studioi; dhe Berlinit, ku ai jeton për momentin. Kjo mënyrë transnacionale e jetesës jo vetëm që ia pasuron eksperiencën, por gjithashtu e pasqyron mënyrën specifike që ka Petrit Halilaj në hulumtimin e artit dhe realitetit, si dhe përpjekjen e tij të vazhdueshme të përkthej apo të transformoj njërën në tjetrën. Në këtë mëntyrë arti i Halilajt ndërton ura mes botëve të ndryshme, perceptimeve, ideologjive, gjeneratave dhe periudhave jetësore.

Eksiztenca transnacionale e Halilajt jo vetëm që është një realitet i jetës bashkëkohore por poashtu është pika e nisjes së instalacionit të tij në Pavijionin e Kosovës në Bienalen e Venecias. Instalacioni mbërdhen observimet e Petritit për botën që e rrethon, të cilat ai i regjistron përmes vizatimeve, shënimeve dhe tekstit. Çfarë do të shfaqet është një hapësirë e eksperiencave e mbushur me përpjekje, dëshira, humbje dhe kërkim të identitetit – një realitet i kundërt me kundërpropozimin e Petrit Halilaj, atë të një bote që bëhet një mjedis poetik i dëshirave kolektive të paparashikueshme.’’ -Kathrin Rhomberg 

photo via
Petrit Halilaj, Kostërrc (CH), 2011. Sixty tons of Kosovo’s soil transported to Basel, Switzerland.
Courtesy the artist and Chert, Berlin

Pavilion of the Republic of Kosovo at the 55th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia (First official participation)

For the first time in history the Republic of Kosovo is represented at the Venice Biennale, where the young artist Petrit Halilaj will develop a new site-specific installation. Under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports of the Republic of Kosovo. 

Artist: Petrit Halilaj
Commissioner: Erzen Shkololli
Curator: Kathrin Rhomberg 

Organization: National Gallery of Kosovo

Venue: Padiglione Repubblica del Kosovo arsenale artiglierie calle della tana 2169/f castello 30122 Venezia
Open for Public: June 1 – November 24, 2013
Professional preview: May 29, 30 and 31, 2013
Kosovo Pavilion Opening: 29th May, 2013, 4.30 pm

Petrit Halilaj was born in 1986 in Kostërrc (Kosovo). He lives and works between Kosovo, Berlin and Bozzolo, Italy.

‘‘ Petrit Halilaj's artistic practice is driven by a constant search of what reality is and how reality might be represented through art. His memories of a rural childhood, his personal experience of war, destruction, exodus and displacement are the very basis of his reflections on life and the human condition. The artist moves back and forth between different countries: between Kosovo, where he grew up and where his family and many friends are; Italy, where he studied; and Berlin, where he is temporarily based. This transnational way of life not only adds to his experience, but also reflects Petrit Halilaj's specific way of exploring art and reality, and of his continuing attempts to translate or even transform the one into the other. As such Halilaj's art builds bridges between different worlds, perceptions, ideologies, generations and phases of life.

Transnational existence is not only an increasing reality of contemporary life but is also the starting point for Halilaj's installation in the Kosovo Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The installation incorporates the artist's observations of the world that surrounds him, which he records through drawings, notes and texts. What will emerge is a space of experience filled with struggles, longings, loss and the search for identity – contrasting reality with Petrit Halilaj's own counter-proposal of a world that becomes a poetic setting for unpredictable collective desires.’’ -Kathrin Rhomberg

* via RSVP 

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3. Sislej Xhafa // Italian Pavilion

Artisti: Sislej Xhafa (more here & here)

Komisioner: Maddalena Ragni

Kurator: Bartolomeo Pietromarchi

Vendi: Tese delle Vergini, Arsenale 

Tema: Vice Versa / Parallel Paradox

Vice Versa merr konceptin e prezantuar nga Giorgio Agamben në librin e tij Categorie Italiane. Studi di poetica (1996), në të cilin filozofi pohon se për të interpretuar kulturën italiane, duhet të identifikojnë një “seri konceptesh të lidhura diametralisht” të aftë për të përshkruar karakteristikat e saj themelore - binome si tragjedi/komedi, arkitekturë/paqartësi dhe shpejtësi/lehtësi që bëhen çelësa origjinale për të lexuar veprat themelore dhe artistët e historisë kulturore të vendit.

Sislej Xhafa është një nga katërmbëdhjetë artistët e ftuar; puna e të cilit (Paradoks Paralel) rri pezull mes jetës së jetuar dhe asaj të imagjinuar; një rrëshqitje dialektike dhe shmangie e vazhdueshme mes tragjedisë dhe komedisë.

via

Artist: Sislej Xhafa (more here & here)

Commissioner: Maddalena Ragni

Curator: Bartolomeo Pietromarchi 

Venue: Tese delle Vergini, Arsenale
Theme: Vice Versa / Parallel Paradox

Vice Versa picks up on a concept introduced by Giorgio Agamben in his book Categorie italiane. Studi di Poetica (1996), in which the philosopher maintained that in order to interpret Italian culture, we must identify a “series of diametrically linked concepts” capable of describing its underlying characteristics – binomials like tragedy/comedy, architecture/vagueness and speed/lightness thus become original keys for reading the fundamental works and artists of Italy's cultural history.

Sislej Xhafa is one of the fourteen artists invited whose work (Parallel Paradox) hovers between lived life and imagined life; a dialectic slipperiness and continual swerves between tragedy and comedy.

* via

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Concrete Mushrooms | The Documentary

Here's CONCRETE MUSHROOMS full length documentary.

For those of you who are not familiar with this project check here, here, here.

-= FULL LENGTH =- Concrete Mushrooms - THE DOCUMENTARY 

from Concrete Mushrooms on Vimeo.

by Elian Stefa & Gyler Mydyti - 2010

Public Debut [6 Month Residence] at Marubi Studio exhibition

May-November 2010 - Helsinki Museum of Cultures, Helsinki FINLAND 

Dokufest 6 Official Selection

August 2010 - Prizren KOSOVO 

ARUP’s Drivers of change 1st Prize Winner in the Video Category

July 2011 - London UK

Part of the 'Concrete in Common' exhibition

August 2012 - Kunst Raum Riehen, Basel SWITZERLAND 

Albanian Pavilion at the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale

Aug-Nov 2012  Venice ITALY 

Official Selection Balkan Film Festival

November 2012 - Munich GERMANY

Torre David | World's Tallest Squat

Torre David | Gran Horizonte, an abandoned/unfinished office building in Caracas, Venezuela, has received the Golden Lion as the best project at the 13th International Architecture Biennale in Venice.

via designboom

To comply with Biennale's 'Common Ground' theme, the exhibition consist of a Venezuelan Arepa Restaurant - a social space where meals are shared and conversations generate ideas about how to study these kind of social settlement in abandoned buildings globally, and how do they change the future of urban territories.

via designboom

This is a collaboration between Venezuelan-based Urban-Think Tank, London-based curator Justin Mcguirk and Dutch photographer Iwan Baan, whose photography of the informal vertical community is exhibited in the Biennale.

The tower is a 45-story concrete frame structure, designed by Venezuelan architect Enrique Gomez, was almost ready when it got abandoned after its developer David Brillembourg died in 1993, and the country's economy collapsed a year later. 

via designboom

"Today, the tower functions as an improvised home of more than 750 families, inhabited by people whom would otherwise live within the barrios of the city, and has become a functioning and independent living environment for residents through a haphazard and organic method of development. Some have even called the extra-legal and tenuous occupation a vertical slum."

via designboom

The building does not have any elevators, only stairs. Also, what makes this tower 'truly mixed used' are the other public use programs added by the tenants such as: a church, restaurants, hair salons and tailors.  

via designboom

Urban-Think Tank has studied the current state of the site, building and its social space. They see it as a potential model for 'vernacular vertical communities'. U-TT's concept of the tower as a 'laboratory of informal study' should be applied to unfinished or abandoned developments around the globe as an experiment, in order to figure out what the future of urban development holds, and who are the best actors to contribute in designing a more 'equitable and sustainable future'.  

via Torre David

In my opinion, this project has the complexity of a great potential in redefining how urban planning and designing is done. 
If the typical user is 'a slum-dweller' whose shelter is 'an informal settlement', then we'll have a different kind of urbanity, not the standard one found in books and city offices. 
Let's look at this scenario. It could be our reality today. 
A collapsed economy has left most people without jobs, foreclosed houses and office buildings empty. 
I might be a bit harsh in even mentioning it, but how do we design for a displaced even homeless user? How do we design or plan an urban life for such a community?

The economy affects the most that who has a lot to lose. 
A homeless? Not so much. 
Hence, owners of now-empty buildings might lose their land and air to the now-displaced tenants that need a shelter. There is a shift in play, in power. 
How do we approach that as architects, designers, urban planners, etc.? 
Who are we designing for? 

These are some of the complex issues brought up by the above project and a lot more questions that follow...

• How do we design informally?
• In a global urbanization how do we design for local communities?
• When we are putting so much attention on ownership, what becomes common ground?
• How do we design for an equitable quality of life? - Everyone deserves a home. It is a human right.
• How can we develop self-sustaining communities?
• Verticality vs. Megastructure vs. Ownership vs. Accessibility vs. User
• When something like this happens, who are the players that command urban territories?
• Who pushes the boundaries of urban planning, design and life? How far? For how long?