The Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) today announced that Kerstin Thompson, Wendy Lewin, Neil Durbach, Vince Frost and Gary Warner will be the creative team for the Australian Pavilion at the upcoming 11th Venice International Architecture Biennale.
Opening in September 2008, the ‘Abundance’ exhibition will highlight the breadth and depth of Australia’s architectural practice.
On the upper of the two-level Philip Cox-designed Australian Pavilion, stunning photographs and a kaleidoscope of moving images will showcase Australia’s diverse architectural history. Significant structures, from colonial constructions to recently completed projects across the country, will be featured.
A sea of models, proposed projects by 150 small and large practices around the country, will fill the lower gallery. These imagined futures will show the inventiveness, creativity and responsiveness of Australia’s architects.
“Our intent is to project an image of Australian architecture that forcefully and joyfully expresses a sense of Australia as an abundantly creative laboratory,” Neil Durbach said. “For too long Australian architecture has appeared to international observers as just a handful of practices. We want to show both our rich and sophisticated history and our buoyant potential.”
Congratulating the Creative Directors, RAIA National President Alec Tzannes said: “Past work and future promise. The Australian Pavilion will take Australian architecture to the world stage in a dynamic and exciting new way.”
“Our presence at the 2008 Biennale will build on the success of our 2006 presentation and the RAIA is pleased to make a long term commitment to showcase Australian architecture at this important critical forum.”
“This outstanding exhibition proposal was chosen for the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale from a short-list of seven, all of whom presented curatorial proposals of exceptional quality,” said. Mr Tzannes.
The Venice Architecture Biennale was inaugurated in 1980 and is now held every two years, alternating with the Art Biennale. Thousands of the world’s leading architects and city planners plus more than 130,000 people visited the 2006 exhibitions.
Australia's attendance at the Venice Architecture Biennale is an initiative of the RAIA. The RAIA thanks Sponsors Virgin Atlantic Airways, BASSETT and Zip Heaters, Network Venice supporters [Woods Bagot, ARM, P + I Projects, Fender Katsalidis Architects, Guida Moseley Brown Architects, Cox Richardson, Lyons, Project Architecture, NH Architecture, John Wardle Architects, Woodhead International, Melbourne City Council, Metaxas Architects] and Donors [Darling Family Office, Penelope Seidler, Lucy Turnbull, Bob Nation, Tanner Architects, and Edward Griffin]. Lucy Turnbull is Australia’s Venice Architecture Biennale Commissioner.
For interviews, images and media enquiries:
Jane Silversmith, Publicist, +61 408 029 118 jane_silversmith@hotmail.com
Trish Croaker National Media/PR Advisor, RAIA +61 408 756 163 trish.croaker@raia.com.au
www.architecture.com.au;http://www.labiennale.org/en/architecture
The Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) is the peak body for the architectural profession, representing more than 9000 members across Australia and overseas. The RAIA actively works to improve the quality of our built environment by promoting quality, responsible and sustainable design. |
THE VENICE ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE
A HISTORY
The International Architecture Venice Biennale is the most important event on the international contemporary architecture calendar. Thousands of the world’s most influential architects, designers, urban planners, developers and critics visit the Biennale, with considerable discussion and commentary in the architectural press and general media as a direct result.
The Architecture section of the Venice Biennale was established in 1980, although a few exhibitions had taken place since 1975 within the Art section. They have been irregular with only ten exhibitions since 1980. The Biennale comprises a curated show and national pavilion representations.
2006 - ‘Cities, architecture and society’, director: Richard Burdett
2004 - ‘Metamorph’, director: Kurt W. Forster
2002 - ‘Next’ director: Deyan Sudjic.
2000 - ‘Less Aesthetics, More Ethics’ director: Massimiliano Fuksas
1996 - ‘Sensing the Future’director: Hans Hollein.
1991 - ‘Forty Architects for the 90s’ director: Francesco Dal Co.
1986 - ‘Hendrik Petrus Berlage - Drawings’, director: Aldo Rossi.
1985 - Venice Project, international competition, director: Aldo Rossi.
1982 - ‘Architecture in Islamic Countries’, director: Paolo Portoghesi.
1980 - ‘The presence of the Past’, Paolo Portoghesi.
THE 2006 VENICE BIENNALE
.The 10th International Architecture Exhibition, ‘Cities, architecture and society’, directed by Richard Burdett, focused on the key factors facing large scale metropolitan areas around the world: from migration to mobility, from social integration to sustainable growth. 50 Countries took part, and over 130,000 people and over 3,000 accredited media attended.
THE 2008 VENICE ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE
The overarching theme and director for the curated section of the 2008 Biennale and the dates of the exhibition have yet to be announced by the Biennale.
HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA’S NATIONAL REPRESENTATION
The Australian Pavilion was designed by Philip Cox and it opened in 1988. It is owned and managed by the Australia Council for the Arts.
In 1991 an Australian exhibition was supported by the Commonwealth Departments of Foreign Affairs and Industry, Technology and Commerce. Eleven architects were shown by the Commissioner Professor Neville Quarry.
In 2000 the Melbourne firm Lyons architects took over the Australian Pavilion for a ‘City of Fiction’ display of brick-shaped removable postcards, with funding assistance from industry and local and state governments. The Commissioner was Professor Leon van Schaik and the exhibition had been shown at the MCA in Sydney. 31,000 people attended.
In 2006 Micro Macro City looked closely at the conditions of the Australian urban environment and focus on its specificity and differences. Creative Directors Shane Murray and Nigel Bertram asked what unique attributes and possibilities are to be found in Australia’s peculiar combinations of density, extreme spaciousness, cheap land, relative affluence and widespread access to technology? Eight case studies profiled 12 projects around the country. 38,000 people attended.
AUSTRALIA AT THE 2008 VENICE ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE
Australia launched a major presence at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2006 with the RAIA committing significant funding and establishing a committee to coordinate and manage Australia’s presence at future Biennales. Former Sydney lord mayor and businesswoman Lucy Turnbull was the 2006 Commissioner and is Australia’s 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale Commissioner.
Members of the RAIA Venice Biennale 2008 Committee are:
·Geoffrey London, Chair, Professor of Architecture at the University of Western Australia and WA Government Architect
·Alec Tzannes, RAIA National President
·Carey Lyon, RAIA Immediate Past President
·Bob Nation
·Ross Clark, RAIA General Manager Operations
·Howard Tanner, RAIA National Councillor and President elect
·Penelope Seidler, Harry Seidler and Associates
·Bridget Smyth, Executive Director Design, City of Sydney
·Ian McDougall, National Councillor
·Lucy Turnbull, 2006 and 2008 Australian Commissioner, Venice Architecture Biennale
The successful proposal for the 2008 exhibition was from the creative team comprising: Neil Durbach, Durbach Block Architects, Vince Frost, Frost Design, Wendy Lewin, Wendy Lewin Architect, Gary Warner, CDP Media, and Kerstin Thompson, Kerstin Thompson Architects. Their proposal was chosen by the ten member committee chaired by Professor Geoffrey London, following an open tender through national advertisements and from a short-list of seven contenders.
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