Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation

OPEN CALL FOR EXHIBITION PROPOSALS FOR THE ALBANIAN PAVILION AT THE 19th INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION

Biennale Architettura 2025 Venice, 10 May to 23 November 2025 (pre-opening on 8 and 9 May)

In the framework of the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale to be held in Venice, Italy, the Albanian Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation, as the Commissioner of the Albanian Pavilion, is seeking expressions of interest for project proposals for the exhibition at the Albanian Pavilion, which will take place from 10 May to 23 November 2025 (pre-opening 8 and 9 May) at the Giardini, the Arsenale and various venues in Venice. Carlo Ratti is appointed as the Curator of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition.

The title of the Biennale is “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective”

Explaining his choice Carlo Ratti said that “the title of the International Architecture Exhibition is usually announced both in English and in Italian. In 2025 it will be condensed into a single word for both languages via the common Latin precedent: “intelligens”. “The title Intelligens is linked to the modern term “intelligence,” but it also evokes a wider set of associated meanings. In fact, the final syllable, “gens” is Latin for “people”. A new, fictional root emerges, suggesting a future of intelligence that is inclusive, multiple, and imaginative beyond today’s limiting focus on AI.”

“The 19th International Architecture Exhibition will be about the built environment and the many disciplines that shape it. Architecture is at the center – Curator explained – but not alone. It is part of an extended sphere that integrates art, engineering, biology, data science, social and political sciences, planetary systems sciences, and other disciplines – linking each and all of them to the materiality of urban space.

The built environment is one of the largest contributors to atmospheric emissions, placing architecture among the main culprits in the degradation of our planet. As the climate crisis accelerates, must we resign ourselves to this role, or are we still able to offer solutions, substantial and non-cosmetic, effective and quick to achieve?

The Exhibition will search for a path forward, proposing that intelligent solutions to pressing problems can take many forms. It will present a collection of design proposals and many other experiments, exploring a definition of “intelligence” as an ability to adapt to the environment with limited resources, knowledge, or power.

Objects, buildings, and urban plans will be arranged along the axis of a multiple and widespread intelligence – organized as natural, artificial, collective, and combinations of the three. While some ideas are destined to fail, others may point us toward redemption.

The Exhibition will cast architects in the role of “mutagens” stimulating natural evolutionary processes and sending them off in new directions. Learning from many sciences, this exhibition hopes to accelerate the transformation of the present through fearless trial and error, and to find a better future in the process”

More information on the theme can be found on the web page of the Biennale Architettura 2025 https://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/2025

The Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation opens the call for project ideas inspired by a careful observation of contemporary architecture and Albanian society, especially where this makes a difference, as well as the visual means through which they will be communicated to the general public and professionals.

With the aim to reintroduce a degree of coordination and coherence with the theme of the main International Exhibition among the National Pavilions, the Curator encourages the participating countries to address the common prompt of “One place, one solution”, “showcasing how local ingenuity – Ratti said – can address our time’s existential challenge that can only be tackled in a cooperative manner, reflecting a multiplicity of approaches. If every country brings one success to the table, together we can assemble a global kit for adapting to the future”.

The profile of the candidates:

  • We are looking for a multidisciplinary exhibition team (composed of architect(s) (team leader), artists, graphic designer(s), art critics, craftspeople, urban sociologist, urban planner, which:
  • Demonstrate to have knowledge about Albanian architecture and international architecture
  • Have national and /or international experience in the field of architecture, sustainable architecture, urbanism and landscape which will be proven by respective portfolios.
  • This call is open to any nationality.

The candidate(s) should be able to:

  • Conduct research and develop an integrated curatorial design project idea accompanied by a coherent curatorial narrative
  • Develop an integrated curatorial project idea for the Albanian Pavilion, along with the producing and/or sourcing the exhibition content such as: photography, installations, written materials for exhibition panels and any other related texts.
  • To create a cultural programme composed by cultural side events which will be organized during the days the exhibition will be opened for the public
  • -To implement and manage the whole project successfully.

The Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation encourages all candidates to co-operate with national and/or foreign curators who have the appropriate experience in organizing and participating in similar events.

SELECTION WILL BE DONE IN TWO PHASES:

Phase 1: In this stage the best project ideas will be selected. Deadline: This phase will be open from August 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024, 24:00.

The Jury will select 3 (three) project ideas which will be qualified for the second phase.

The Jury will announce the best three projects ideas by October 7, 2024.

Phase 2: The three selected teams will be invited to work up a fully detailed exhibition project, which will be presented to the Jury. These detailed exhibition projects should be submitted by the latest 12.00 PM on November 4, 2024.

The Jury will announce the criteria for the detailed project proposal immediately after the announcement of the shortlist of three teams.

The announcement of the winning project: November 11-17, 2024.

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE

The project ideas and the detailed project proposals will be evaluated by an international Jury composed of 5 members. The evaluation of the Jury will judge proposals on the basis of:

  • Clarity of the project proposal
  • Imaginative quality of the concept
  • Potential of the project idea to communicate with the public
  • Clarity of the theme and the potential for making it communicable, tangible and visible to the audience.
  • Artistic and visual strength of the project proposal and its capacity to be translated into a strong visual language and landscape
  • Strength of the team/studio to reflect in a broad and deep sense on the given theme and to bring ways to add to the knowledge
  • Capacity and experience of communicating architecture to the critics and the public alike, and of developing new audiences for architecture.

APPLICATION DOSSIER FOR THE FIRST PHASE

The application should include:

  • The application form (download it here)
  • A clearly articulated summary on how the project will relate to the theme “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective” (not more than 1000 words)
  • Method of investigation and anticipated findings, and how this will come into existence by means of reflection and creation
  • Image(s) that illustrate the exhibition proposal, setting, etc.
  • Portfolios of previous works of the team/studio
  • CV’s of the members of the team and its leader (not more than one page)

 

The candidates are free to choose whichever means and forms of introducing their project proposals. They are kindly invited to follow the guidelines provided by the Curators of the Biennale which can be found at http://www.labiennale.org

Technical Details on the Albanian Pavilion

The Albanian Pavilion will be situated in “Arsenale”. You will find the plan and relevant photos here

Submission of application:

The complete application should be:

  1. Prepared in two languages: Albanian and English
  2. Sent by mail (printed and in digital form) to the attention of the technical secretariat of the Bienale 2023 at the following address: Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation, Rruga “Dëshmorët e 4 shkurtit”, Tirana, Albania
  3. Sent electronically to the e-mail address: biennale2025@meki.gov.al
  4. Submitted no later than September 30, 2024, 24.00 hrs (Phase 1)

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