opening of 2020 venice architecture biennale postponed by three months

the opening of the 2020 venice architecture biennale has been postponed by three months due to fears that COVID-19 (coronavirus) could disrupt the event. the 17th international architecture exhibition was set to open on may 23, but will now be held from august 29 until november 29, 2020. the decision comes after to event’s organizers spoke with curator hashim sarkis. ‘unwilling to open an incomplete exhibition, la biennale, having heard the curator hashim sarkis and in consideration of the difficulties faced by the participating countries and invited architects, has decided to postpone the inauguration until august 29, bringing the duration of this year’s edition of the biennale architettura back to three months, from the end of august to the end of november,’ the organizers explain.

image by francesco galli | main image by giulio squillacciotti
all images courtesy of la biennale di venezia

‘the new dates for the biennale architettura have been established as a consequence of the recent precautionary measures in the matter of mobility taken by the governments of a growing number of countries around the world, which will have a domino effect on the movement of people and works in coming weeks,’ continues la biennale. ‘this period of time coincides with the delicate initial phase of setting up an international exhibition as complex as the biennale architettura, which involves architects and institutions from over 60 countries on all continents.’

image by andrea avezzù

the event’s organizers felt that a short-term postponement would be ineffective, considering ‘the complexity of the organizational machine, the number and importance of the subjects involved and the probable absence of many of them’. the 2020 venice architecture biennale will now open in late august, a week before the opening of the 77th venice international film festival. follow designboom’s ongoing coverage of the 17th international architecture exhibition here.