Quote from Alex bobby on May 13, 2025, 8:41 AM

Bahrain’s “Heatwave” Wins Golden Lion at Venice Architecture Biennale 2025

At the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale—one of the most prestigious events in the global design calendar—the Bahrain Pavilion has taken centre stage. Titled “Heatwave”, Bahrain’s thought-provoking and visually captivating installation has won the coveted Golden Lion for Best National Participation, earning praise for its innovative approach to public space design in an era of escalating climate extremes.

Held every two years, the Venice Biennale invites countries from across the globe to showcase their most ambitious and conceptual projects under a unifying theme. This year’s theme, “Intelligent: Natural. Artificial. Collective.”, called on participants to rethink architecture’s evolving role in a rapidly changing world. Bahrain’s response was not only timely but essential: a reflection on rising global temperatures and the urgent need for adaptive urban infrastructure.

A Cool Space in a Heating World

Set in the historic Artiglierie of the Arsenale, Heatwave is a suspended installation that does more than make an architectural statement—it provides a functional climate intervention. The design centre’s around a square-shaped ceiling structure that hovers above a comfortable seating area, suspended by chains from a central column. This simple yet powerful form is engineered to cool the space below, offering a physical refuge from heat while metaphorically addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time: urban resilience in a warming climate.

More than an aesthetic exercise, Heatwave is rooted in practical science. The structure was engineered by Mario Monotti with thermomechanical insights from Alexander Puzrin. Originally, the design included a geothermal well and solar chimney to create a self-sustaining microclimate, but site limitations at the Biennale prevented excavation. Instead, mechanical ventilation was used to simulate the effect, showcasing the potential of modular, adaptable infrastructure that can be deployed in other urban contexts.

A Statement on Global Climate Realities

Accepting the Golden Lion, Pavilion Commissioner Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al Khalifa emphasised the urgent message behind the project. “The term ‘heatwave’ is a very common term we hear in the media, in news and even amongst our conversations at home. It is a stress to our urban centres and local communities, and the pavilion aimed to address those issues through an innovative technique,” he stated.

Indeed, Bahrain’s entry is not just about coping with heat—it's about reimagining the role of public spaces in cities increasingly burdened by climate change. By turning a cooling ceiling into an architectural spectacle, the pavilion bridges innovation, environmental design, and public engagement.

Other Standout National Pavilions

While Bahrain won top honours, the Biennale jury also recognised two other national pavilions with special mentions for their powerful contributions to this year’s theme.

The Holy See’s pavilion, Opera aperta, housed in a deconsecrated church in Venice’s Castello district, offers an evolving space of collective care and cultural restoration. Inspired by Umberto Eco’s 1962 work “Open Work” (Opera aperta), the installation reimagines the church as a living site—hosting workshops, shared meals, music rehearsals, and restoration activities. Rather than concealing damage and age, the project embraces cracks, mold, and weathering as part of the building’s ongoing narrative. It transforms architecture from static monument to dynamic process.

The British Pavilion also earned high praise for its exhibition “GBR: Geology of Britannic Repair”, a collaboration between UK and Kenyan curators and academics. Using the Great Rift Valley as a conceptual and geological anchor, the exhibition challenges the historical role of architecture as a tool of extraction and colonisation. Curators Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi (Cave_bureau, Nairobi), along with Owen Hopkins and Professor Kathryn Yusoff, present “other architectures”—those rooted in the ground, respectful of context, and resilient in the face of ecological and societal crises.

According to the team, the installations within the British Pavilion aim to explore architecture’s capacity not only to reflect on past harm but to actively participate in healing—whether of the environment, of people, or of cultural memory.

Looking Ahead

The Venice Architecture Biennale continues to be a platform for radical imagination and urgent discourse. This year’s entries reflect a global profession grappling with the deep interconnections between architecture, environment, technology, and society. From Bahrain’s climate-conscious Heatwave to the British Pavilion’s interrogation of colonial legacies and the Holy See’s community-centred restoration project, 2025’s Biennale offers not only architectural beauty but also a profound sense of purpose.

The Biennale runs until 23 November 2025, offering months of opportunity for visitors to engage with works that don’t just envision the future—they demand it.