In light of the looming climate crisis and the pursuit of sustainability, the concepts of revival and reuse have emerged as crucial strategies in the quest for decarbonization in the architecture industry. These principles preach that creating new structures may be sustainable but encourage architects to minimize their ecological footprint by reactivating and recycling existing resources. This year specifically, innovative projects in line with these themes were displayed as part of the 18th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. This world-renowned event’s core purpose is to serve as a platform for architects, designers, and thinkers to collectively reimagine sustainability, decarbonization, resource conservation, and the industry's future.
The Venice Biennale is the world’s most esteemed global gathering of creative minds in the built environment. And this year, many countries’ national pavilions explored these principles. Three of them specifically stood out, from research to curation to execution, as distinct perspectives on the issues of resource management, heritage activation, and overall environmental consciousness. Through investigating these three projects: the German Pavilion, the Turkish Pavilion, and the Nordic Countries Pavilion, we might have a more complete understanding of where we stand today in terms of revival and reuse and what the future of this decarbonized methodology may look like.
Read on to discover the approach of 3 different pavilions to the theme of reuse and decarbonization
German Pavilion / “Open for Maintenance.”
Curated by ARCH+ and Summacumfemmer Büro Juliane Greb, the German Pavilion at this year’s La Biennale di Venezia takes a novel approach by addressing the resource problem and the material cycles inherent to the Biennale itself. To tackle the Biennale's waste generation, the German Pavilion collaborated with over 40 other countries to repurpose their leftover material waste from the previous year. At its core, the initiative is committed to reimagining resource use with the backdrop of an esteemed international architecture exhibition.
These salvaged materials are used by the pavilion to construct architectural interventions that promote use, accessibility, and inclusivity. Notably, the exhibit includes a ramp made of sandbags salvaged from the Ukrainian Pavilion, emphasizing the usefulness of resource recycling. The project includes a Concular-powered archive to classify these items for future use and persuade the Biennale institution to reevaluate its resource management procedures. The concept underscores sustainability's discourse, materials, and financial dimensions by collaborating with the Pavilion in its original state. The Pavilion's exhibition was exclusively created using materials from the previous year's Biennale.
Moreover, the display goes one step further to shed light on the concept of reuse. In fact, “Open for Maintenance” hosts workshops with various universities to plan and execute maintenance for numerous sites around Venice, using their found material. Now located in an organized archive, the pavilion encourages the next generation of architects, designers, and Biennale-makers to address the climate and resource crisis by utilizing existing materials. The curatorial team thinks of this solution as the only viable one, surpassing any new buildings’ effort at decarbonization.
Turkish Pavilion / “Ghost Stories: Carrier Bag Theory of Architecture.”
The Pavilion of Türkiye in the 18th International Architecture Exhibition was curated by Sevince Bayrak and Oral Göktaş of the Istanbul-based studio SO? Architecture and Ideas. The idea for the project was inspired by Elizabeth Fisher's "Carrier Bag Theory of Evolution," which suggests that a carrier bag, not a hunting tool, was the first cultural object utilized by human beings. In terms of architecture, this approach encourages listening to the histories of demolished structures in order to promote a narrative different “from the heroic tale of destruction.” Their exhibition explores the status and hidden potential of abandoned buildings across Türkiye to discover more hopeful proposals for the future.
Seeing things from a macro angle, the curators of the Turkish pavilion started an open call to gather information about abandoned structures in the city. Eventually, the project reimagines the programs and uses of these buildings in order to create a more sustainable future for Turkey. Through its twin setup of "Ghost Stories" and "Carrier Bag Theory of Architecture," the display encourages viewers to consider the difficulties of reusing existing structures. The Turkish Pavilion seeks to promote a more thoughtful conversation on the dwindling size of urban and rural surroundings by presenting a manifesto and hosting debates regarding the function of these structures.
Since construction in Türkiye is triggered by economic growth rather than spatial needs, we have many unused buildings, from hospitals to airports... In a country with an enormous building stock that must be reinforced to resist earthquakes – since it is impossible to rebuild them all – we need to find ways to transform the existing and introduce novel tools and methods to nurture our collective dreams and discussions. - Sevince Bayrak and Oral Göktaş
Nordic Pavilion / Girjegumpi
Similar to the German Pavilion, the Nordic Pavilion also goes back to material usage and the power that can be found in archiving. Curated by Joar Nango, James Taylor-Foster, and Carlos Minguez Carrasco, the project brings the indigenous perspective to the forefront. In fact, Nango’s work emphasizes the possibilities of returning to indigenous Sámi materials and locally sourcing this material as a methodology of decarbonization.
The collaborative library he creates, "Girjegumpi," exhibits locally sourced materials, including a stairway made from a nearby tree, and embodies improvisation and chance. The pavilion supports independent areas and architectural expression while questioning built-environment norms and promoting more resource- and material-efficient design methods.
The pavilion aims to promote information sharing, highlight the importance of the Northern areas, and make this archive available to everyone. As these materials become more researched, the curators believe they will be applied more frequently and empathetically to their respective built environments. The pavilion emphasizes the importance of fostering crucial conversations about indigenous peoples. "Girjegumpi" transcends contemporary borders and promotes cross-cultural dialogue and ultimate resource allocation in the current climate crisis.
The idea of reuse in both buildings and materials offers a revolutionary strategy to increase the usefulness and lifespan of structures. It involves a fundamental transformation in the thinking and method of problem-solving of architects and designers; it goes beyond simply recycling existing structures. As decarbonization and lowering the carbon footprint become the goals of the built environment’s future, reuse can begin to gain more popularity as a long-term sustainable solution for the matter.
In conclusion, these projects create a narrative suggesting that the most efficient methodology for decarbonizing architecture and the built environment is through a reuse mindset. The Türkiye Pavilion is an example of research and curation around adaptive reuse and new life in old buildings. By thoroughly documenting which buildings are in use and which are abandoned, conversations can begin around true revival and activation. Another methodology is more similar to the German and Nordic Pavilion, where a micro-focus on materials creates new possibilities for making to emerge. In fact, access to previously unachievable types of reuse can be created by understanding, collecting, and thoroughly archiving any set of materials.
This article is part of the ArchDaily Topics: Decarbonize Architecture presented by Holcim.
Driven by its purpose to build progress for people and the planet, Holcim is decarbonizing building, while improving living standards for all. Holcim empowers architects and developers across all regions to build sustainably. This series explores how cities of the future can be low-carbon, circular, and resilient.
Every month we explore a topic in-depth through articles, interviews, news, and architecture projects. We invite you to learn more about our ArchDaily Topics. And, as always, at ArchDaily we welcome the contributions of our readers; if you want to submit an article or project, contact us.
