Hello. As you probably know, next year's Venice Biennale has as its theme "Do Architecture." https://www.archdaily.com/1041646/do-architecture-wang-shu-and-lu-wenyu-announce-theme-and-title-for-2027-venice-architecture-biennale?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=AD+Daily&utm_campaign=ADEN+Daily+Newsletter+%40+19+May+15%3A01 This is a somewhat surprising theme, coming from Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu. I say it is rather surprising because it is unexpectedly predictable and somewhat didactic... and boringly self-centered. Of course architects should do architecture (what else should they do ?). But as Wolf Prix put it, if you only think of architecture, you will only get architecture. What about undoing architecture, for a change ? Isn't architecture, in so many eays, self-centered as it is, serving the structures of power and pollution alike ? So maybe "undoing it", in some form, could be a breath of fresh air. This is exactly what we are inviting you towards: to undo architecture. Why ? In order to rejuvenate it. Die before you die - is the advice of the Scriptures. So let's provoke the death of architecture before its death (or should we say, its rebirth ?) Maybe this could be its true chance, or one of its chances, to become, again, what it was supposed to be, in the first place. UNDOING IN ORDER TO DO.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHT

ICARCH / Venice 2027 brief

by Charles F. Pigott (UK)