Korean Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Reimagines Traditional Schools

Korean Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Reimagines Traditional Schools

Titled "Future School", the Korean Pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale Di Venezia, transforms the structure into an explorative academic facility. Curated by Hae-Won Shin, the pavilion will be on display at the Giardini from May 22nd until November 21st, 2021.

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Future School is the response of urgent global issues such as migration, climate change, and technological advancements. The pavilion aims to establish new networks and act as a catalyst for cooperative engagement around these issues. The school investigates online workshops, roundtables, studios, installations, screenings, and dissolves the boundaries between domestic, public, and educational spaces. 

Korean Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Reimagines Traditional Schools  - Image 8 of 10
© Ugo Carmeni

A house, a well and a garden—a shared space for gathering, learning, rest and contemplation. This was the fundamental concept behind Future School’s occupation of the Korean Pavilion. This is not a space for consumption, but a space for living, for exchanges and for discussion. -- Hae-Won Shin, Pavilion Curator

Inspired by the architecture of traditional Korean houses, the existing brick structure of the pavilion is transformed into a domestic space with handmade hanji paper floors. The kitchen allows participants to access drinking water and make tea using the existing pavilion pipes, served in Jeju Onggi cups. The "Process Wall" displays 235 printed A4 tiles of Future School's previous workshops and conversations.

Korean Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Reimagines Traditional Schools  - Image 7 of 10
© Ugo Carmeni

Artist and landscape architect Ah-Yeon Kim installed a circular floor as a symbolic assembly space made from dried reeds. The roof was also included in the pavilion's planning, transforming it into a public space for gathering. The overall program features more than 50 participating projects that explore issues such as cooling urban environments and the futurology of schools, to innovative spatial interventions.

Korean Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Reimagines Traditional Schools  - Image 9 of 10
© Ugo Carmeni

Future School

  • Commissioner: Arts Council Korea (ARKO)
  • Curator: Hae-Won Shin
  • Deputy Curator: Namwoo Bae
  • Assistant Curators: Ji Yoon Ahn and Eunjee Choe
  • Spatial Design: Ryul Song and Christian Schweitzer
  • Graphic Design: Chris Ro

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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Cite: Dima Stouhi. "Korean Pavilion at the 2021 Venice Biennale Reimagines Traditional Schools " 21 May 2021. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/962114/korean-pavilion-at-the-2021-venice-biennale-reimagines-traditional-schools> ISSN 0719-8884

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