the invisible mountain grapples with melting glaciers at venice architecture biennale

on view inside the italian pavilion at the venice architecture biennale is an installation that brings attention to the tangible effects of global climate change. realized by giovanni betti and katharina fleck, ‘the invisible mountain’ looks at the presena glacier in italy’s northern trentino region, which has been covered in 34 tonnes of plastic tarpaulin every summer since 2008 to save the snow from melting. the exhibit at the biennale is composed of one piece of this tarpaulin, hung in the shape of the mountain, and it aims to raise awareness of the disappearing glaciers in the italian alps while revealing hidden complexities in the fight against climate change.

the presena glacier is covered in plastic at the beginning of the summer and freed again in september/october

images and main video courtesy of the invisible mountain

the presena glacier sits 3000 meters above sea level near passo del tonale in italy. due to rising temperatures, the glacier has lost more than one third of its volume since 1993. to prevent it from disappearing altogether, each year since 2008, the consorzio pontedilegno-tonale, together with the scientific support of the university of trento, began covering part of the glacier with massive tarpaulin sheets to protect the snow in the summer months. once they are done, the large white polypropylene covering is hardly distinguishable from the snow underneath.

the plastic tarpaulin covers an area of over 100,000 square meters and weighs over 34 tonnes

today 100,000 square meters of the glacier (roughly equivalent to 14 football fields) are covered in geotextile to help save the snow. creators of ‘the invisible mountain‘ exhibition, giovanni betti and katharina fleck, view this annual ritual not only as desperate, but also deeply ironic; the tarpaulin used to protect against climate change is made from the same material that causes it: petroleum-derived plastics

every year the plastic cover saves 2 to 3 meters of snow depth

the installation at the venice architecture biennale 2021 measures approximately 5 x 15 meters and is held by fishing lines in the shape of the mountain. floating in mid-air, visitors are encouraged to wander under the plastic canopy so they can experience the void underneath it and be reminded of the disappearing glaciers it tries to protect. the cloth therefore becomes a symbol, allowing viewers to grasp the tangible effects of climate change that are already happening. 

the installation in the italian pavilion at venice architecture biennale

‘it is a tragic reminder of how our actions are affecting the planet at a geological scale, how our very idea of ‘nature’ needs to be reframed. in the age of the anthropocene there is no more wilderness, the world has become a planetary garden that we influence and maintain — or not. when a mountain needs to be wrapped in plastic to save ecosystems that have persisted for millennia from disappearing in a few decades, we know that the word ‘natural’ has lost its meaning. there are only varying degrees of artificiality. there is no longer a natural environment, only a built environment,’  say giovanni betti and katharina fleck.

the installation in the italian pavilion at venice architecture biennale

‘the invisible mountian’ has been conceptualized and realized by prof. giovanni betti and katharina fleck with the support of the students of the chair of structural design (konstruktives enwerfen und tragwerksplanung KET) led by prof. christoph gengnagel. the exhibit is on view in the italian pavilion (curated by alessandro melis) in the section ‘global south’, coordinated by paola ruotolo

‘the invisible mountain’ in the foyer of the university of the arts (UdK), berlin

‘the invisible mountain’ in the foyer of the university of the arts (UdK), berlin

‘the invisible mountain’ in the foyer of the university of the arts (UdK), berlin

the draping of the textile was simulated using digital form-finding techniques (an early study)

conceptual study for ‘the invisible mountain’

project info:

name: the invisible mountain | @theinvisiblemountain

location: italian pavilion, arsenale, venice

event: 17th international architecture exhibition – la biennale di venezia

dates: may 22 – november 21, 2021

design: giovanni betti, katharina fleck with the support of the students of the chair of structural design (konstruktives enwerfen und tragwerksplanung KET) led by christoph gengnagel

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom