The Republic of Togo presents its first pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia 2025 with a project titled Considering Togo's Architectural Heritage. The inaugural pavilion is curated by Studio NEiDA, an architecture and research practice co-founded by architect Jeanne Autran-Edorh and curator Fabiola Büchele. Based in Lomé and Berlin, the studio is dedicated to equitable design processes, applying an Afrocentric lens to contemporary architectural discourse. The exhibition, located at Venice's Squero Castello, explores Togo's architectural narratives from the early 20th century, focusing on themes of conservation and transformation.
The pavilion documents key examples of Togo's architectural heritage, establishing a dialogue between traditional building practices and modernist construction techniques. According to the curators, this approach invites a broader understanding of Togo's architectural landscape and highlights the richness of its cultural legacy. The exhibition investigates forms and materiality within West Africa's built environment, from the ancient Nôk cave dwellings to traditional techniques exemplified by the Tatas Tamberma of northern Togo. It also showcases Afro-Brazilian architecture developed by freed slaves who returned from Brazil, alongside modernist buildings constructed after independence.
Togo's architectural heritage, which spans ancient clay structures to complex histories and outlandish modernist experiments, is an incredible source of inspiration for our work. This built legacy—at times ingenious, at times eccentric—is a powerful guide for future architectural approaches that are contextual and climate compatible. — Studio NEiDA, curators of the pavilion
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Many of these modern structures remain in use today, such as Hotel Sarakawa, the Hedzranawoe Market, and the ECOWAS and BOAD banks. However, the exhibition also highlights buildings in disrepair, including Hotel de la Paix and the Bourse du Travail, while contrasting these with notable renovation efforts like the restored Hotel 2 Février and the ongoing restoration of the Palais des Congrès.
The Togo Pavilion is organized by the Ministry of Digital Economy and Digital Transformation of the Republic of Togo. The commissioner is Sonia Lawson, Founding Director of the Palais de Lomé. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with Zuecca Projects. In addition to Venice, Studio NEiDA is also curating Togo's first participation in the Triennale Milano International Exhibition, Out of Fashion, opening on May 12, 2025.
It is a milestone to showcase Togo's diverse architectural heritage to a large number of visitors from across the world. The Palais de Lomé is a landmark architectural venue in Togo. Once a place of colonial exclusion, the institution's programme engages in a dialogue of contemporary issues relating to culture, architecture, and the environment. I hope the pavilion furthers the conversations on the future and preservation of architectural heritage in West Africa. — Sonia Lawson, commissioner of the pavilion
The 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale opened on May 10 and will run until November 23. This year's edition brings together over 300 contributions from more than 750 participants across generations and disciplines. Hosting a total of 65 national pavilions, four countries, Azerbaijan, Oman, Qatar, and Togo, are participating for the first time. The Azerbaijan national pavilion presents Equilibrium. Patterns of Azerbaijan, The Sultanate of Oman is presenting its debut national pavilion titled Traces, and Qatar presents a two-part exhibition organized by the Future Art Mill Museum, and also builds its permanent national pavilion in the Giardini della Biennale, designed by Lina Ghotmeh.
We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the 2025 Venice Biennale.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on May 1, 2025, and updated on June 17, 2025, to include photographs of the exhibit.
