intelligens: venice architecture biennale announces 2025 theme

Venice Architecture Biennale focuses on ‘intelligens’

On May 7th, 2024, at the headquarters of the Venice Biennale in San Marco, the President of La Biennale di Venezia, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, and Curator Carlo Ratti unveiled the theme of the upcoming 19th International Architecture Exhibition: Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective. This title, referencing the term ‘intelligence,’ also embraces its plural essence by incorporating the Latin word ‘gens,’ meaning ‘people.’ Scheduled from May 10 to November 23, 2025, the Biennale will delve into various dimensions of intelligence—natural, artificial, and collective—urging the global architectural community to spearhead solutions for the pressing challenge of climate change.

image by Francesco Galli, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia

the future of intelligence is inclusive, multiple and imaginative

Before the official announcement, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco set the stage, underscoring the essence of space as not merely a physical location but also a conceptual realm defined by how it’s utilized. Expressing his appreciation for the esteemed Italian architect and engineer Carlo Ratti, Buttafuoco emphasized, ‘The Biennale is very proud to have Carlo Ratti with us.’

Carlo Ratti then took the floor, unveiling the theme of the 19th edition of the Architecture Biennale (find more here): Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective. Explaining his choice, 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.’

image by Andrea Avezzu, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia

curator carlo ratti repositions architecture at the forefront

Drawing inspiration from Umberto Eco’s Opera Aperta and its notion of openness, Ratti elaborated on the theme, highlighting that he aims to reposition architecture at the forefront. ‘The 19^th International Architecture Exhibition will be about the built environment and the many disciplines that shape it,’ the curator mentioned. ‘Architecture is at the center, 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.’

Carlo Ratti went on to explain that the built environment stands as one of the primary contributors to atmospheric emissions, positioning architecture as a key player in the deterioration 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?’ he asked.

image by Andrea Avezzu, courtesy La Biennale di Venezia

Redefining Architecture’s Role amidst Venice’s Hydropolis

Amidst the backdrop of Venice’s Hydropolis, characterized by a blend of natural, artificial, and collective intelligence, participants in the Biennale will delve into discussions surrounding climate change within a broader framework. They are encouraged to draw inspiration from their local contexts, with their diverse contributions fueling a global conversation aimed at tackling the imminent climate crisis and safeguarding our planet. The exhibition will feature an array of design concepts and experimental ventures, exploring the notion of ‘intelligence’ as the ability to adapt to environmental constraints with limited resources, knowledge, or authority. Objects, structures, and urban designs will be categorized along the spectrum of diverse and widespread intelligence, spanning natural, artificial, collective, or combinations thereof. While some ideas may falter, others may illuminate paths toward redemption. Ratti envisions architects as ‘mutagens,’ catalysts for natural evolutionary processes, propelling them into new trajectories.

In a notable move, the main pavilion of the Biennale will be closed for refurbishment in 2025. However, Ratti perceives this as a unique opportunity to transform Venice into a dynamic living laboratory for research. Plans are underway for multiple interventions across the city, encompassing the Giardini, the Arsenale, and various other sites.

portrait of Carlo Ratti, image by Sara Magni