(Photo: © Jacopo Salvi)
Carlo Ratti, the visionary curator of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia, has unveiled the theme and title for the highly anticipated upcoming edition: "Intelligens." Pietrangelo Buttafuocco, the President of La Biennale di Venezia, staged the exhibition to explore intelligence in its multitudes. Arriving on the 24th of May and ending on the 23rd of November 2025, the "Technology, Human and Venice: A Dialogue" exhibition will be held at various architectural venues that reflect the historic city of Venice. This exhibition is expected to be an inspiring voyage where you will learn about the interrelations between architecture, technology, and human ingenuity.
Exploring "Intelligens" in Architecture
"Intelligens," drawing from its Latin root, encapsulates modern notions of intelligence while embracing the essence of "gens," meaning people. This fusion hints at a future intelligence transcending the boundaries of contemporary AI, emphasizing inclusivity and imagination. Ratti underscores the interconnectedness of architecture with diverse disciplines, ranging from art and engineering to biology and social sciences. Against a looming climate crisis backdrop, the exhibition explores "intelligent solutions," experimenting with adaptability and resourcefulness to address urgent environmental challenges.
The Three Dimensions of Intelligence
The exhibition, divided into three categories—natural, artificial, and collective intelligence—invites architects to envision catalysts for evolutionary processes. Drawing insights from various sciences, architects are tasked with imagining a more sustainable future rooted in different forms of intelligence. Ratti emphasizes that the exhibition will showcase a spectrum of design proposals and experiments, reflecting on the ability to adapt to the environment with limited resources, knowledge, or power.
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The exhibition embraces several strategies to navigate these challenges intelligently, redefining intelligence as the capacity for resource adaptation. The spectrum of natural, artificial, and collective intelligence and combinations will be explored through a diverse array of design concepts and experiments. Ratti proposes four main pillars of methodology: a transdisciplinary model of work, a living lab approach, a platform for ideas, and a circularity protocol to ensure reciprocity, the creation of space for new thinking, and sustainability.
The Global Stage of Architectural Innovation
Along with the most prestigious Architectural Events globally, the Venice Biennale provides a unique venue for architects and designers who are always enthusiastic about breaking new ground and exploring new ideas. In the previous version, co-curated by Lesley Lokko, the African continent, and its diaspora culture brought attention to Africa, greatly broadening the awareness of African cultural heritage through the lens of global architecture.
Carlo Ratti's Vision for Sustainable Architecture
Besides his remarkable output as an architect, designer, and engineer, the work of such theorists as Carlo Ratti, who are researchers accepted as the bridge between digital technologies and urban design, is unquestionable. The lab that Ratti is recognized for has witnessed his development. However, he has not stopped until now. His works that were recently exhibited at the Osaka 2025 Expo, the "Theatre of Nature" project, and a design sketch for the waterfront green energy park at Trieste, Italy, reflect his determination to employ eco-friendly and creative solutions.
Finally, this biennale has the potential for a genuinely dynamic introspection of intelligence in architecture curated by Carlo Ratti. Through teamwork, innovation, and promoting sustainability, this exhibition will give the architect's future and the audience an idea of a more intelligent and inclusive community for the built environment.
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