Latvian Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Explores Human Resistance to Technology

Titled "It's Not For You! It's For the Building", the Latvian Pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia showcases how technology risks creating new problems while providing solutions to urgent global crises. Curated by architecture office NRJA, the pavilion will be on display at the Arsenale from May 21st until November 22nd, 2021.

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The exhibition highlights the importance architecture from the human perspective and promotes the need to help people learn to live together with today’s hyper-intelligent machines. This leads to a balanced coexistence of individuals with sustainability-driven technologies and innovations, providing a livable future for the human race. 

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Courtesy of The Latvian Pavilion

The installation focuses on the contradictory relationship humans have with technology. The structure is made of an uncanny web of black pipes, which first appear like a foreign organism parasitizing on a space that used to belong to humans. Walking through the space, visitors begin to change their perspective and discover an amusing neighbor within the black pipes. 

This immersive experience of learning to live with technology spells out a promise of a sustainable partnership between humans and machines which are, after all, our own creations made for our own good — notwithstanding any initial negative sentiments. -- Latvian Curation Team 

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Courtesy of The Latvian Pavilion
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© Ēriks Božis for NRJA

It's Not For You! It's For the Building

  • Commissioner: Jānis Dripe (Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia)
  • Curator: NRJA (Uldis Lukševics, Elīna Lībiete, Ivars Veinbergs, Ieva Lāce-Lukševica, Zigmārs Jauja, Inga Dubinska, Līga Jumburga)
  • Realization: NRJA, Ansis Bergmanis, Edgars Ošs, Mārtiņš Dāboliņš, Pēteris Riekstiņš, Juris Simanovičs, Viesturs Laiviņš, Artūrs Tols
  • Graphic Design: Aleksejs Muraško
  • Audio Design: Gatis Ziema

We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the Venice Architecture Biennale 2021, and watch our official playlist on Youtube featuring exclusive interviews with architects and curators of the Biennale.

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© Andrejs Strokins for NRJA

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Cite: Dima Stouhi. "Latvian Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Explores Human Resistance to Technology " 20 May 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/962053/latvian-pavilion-at-the-2021-venice-biennale-explores-human-resistance-to-technology> ISSN 0719-8884

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