Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective | Venice Biennale Sessions

Led by Deborah Hauptmann, Architecture

THE VENICE ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE is widely considered the world’s most prestigious international exposition of architecture. Educational programs, referred to as the Biennale Sessions are offered by invited representatives from an array of international universities. The 19th International Architecture Exhibition is entitled INTELLIGENS. NATURAL. ARTIFICIAL. COLLECTIVE Obviously, the term Intelligens is etymologically connected to the common term “intelligence.” Yet, when critically considered within our current context, it also suggests a wider set of relational meanings. For instance, according to the curator, Carlo Ratti, the final syllable, gens, is translated from the Latin as “people.” And with this he writes: “A new, fictional root emerges, suggesting a future of intelligence that is inclusive, multiple, and imaginative beyond today’s limiting focus on AI.”

This studio will respond directly to the Biennale theme. We will dig deep into the curatorial statement both engaging and challenging its premises. For instance, while Ratti’s translation of gens to people is direct and correct at face value, “people” does not mean persons, individuals, human beings, etc. In Latin, gens would better translate to tribe, race, nation. The connotative space between these two denotations is just one interstitial space worthy of considering in putting forward our response to the curatorial call.

The exhibition design work we will carry out in Ames will be completed during a two-day workshop and installation at the Biennale in Venice in the final days of the semester (± May 10-15, 2025). This studio is conceived to be taught in correspondence with Vladimir Kulic’s ARCH 5280 elective, entitled EXHIBITING ARCHITECTURE. A draft version of his course description reads: For over a century, architectural exhibitions have played an outsize role in the promotion and dissemination of modern architecture. From the shows of the DeutcheWerkbundand the MoMA’s “Modern Architecture: International Exhibition” in the early 20th century, to the first Venice Biennale of Architecture in 1980, architectural exhibitions marked important turning points that shaped the course of architectural history. The past decades have seen a proliferation of efforts to put architecture on display, a veritable phenomenon of global proportions today.

This course will explore the historical and theoretical underpinnings of architectural exhibitions, but it will also engage in a practical project of curating and staging an installation at the Biennale in Venice. It would be advantageous for interested students to enroll in both classes if possible.

Learning Objectives: Develop ability to critically analyze and respond to a project or competition brief; interrogate ideas (both your and others) and articulate a impactful visual and verbal response; develop practical skills in exhibiting architecture.