The Venice Architecture Biennale puts Bahrain and coffee in the spotlight
The Venice Architecture Biennale opened on May 10 with the title: “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.” And the big winners of this 2025 edition are the Bahrain Pavilion and a project transforming water into coffee.
At the opening of the Venice Architecture Biennale on May 10, the Golden Lion was awarded to the Bahrain Pavilion, “who has been working on innovative ways to combat global warming with the Heatwave project,” reports La Repubblica . A victory that reflects the growing power of Gulf countries in the art sector, particularly in research related to climate change issues.
“The pavilion uses traditional passive cooling methods typical of the region, reminiscent of wind-catching towers ['badguirs'] and shade sails,” explain the project leaders. The pavilion fits into this year's theme, “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.”
The Golden Lion for Best Project was also awarded to New York studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro for Canal Cafè. This installation, on the canals of Venice, transforms – thanks to a purification system – the water of the lagoon into coffee. According to the winners:
“We need to find new, efficient ways to save water, and in an era of climate change and mass tourism, there is no better place than Venice to imagine them.”
“The Canal Cafè, as the declaration of intent indicates, shows how Venice can become a real laboratory for thinking about new ways of living on the water, while making a concrete contribution to its inhabitants . ”
The Architecture Biennale, held every two years, has taken a greater interest in social issues in recent years. It concludes this year on November 23.
More information on the Biennale website .
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