The British Council unveils Island at the British Pavilion for the 16th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, has been covered with scaffolding that supports a roof-level piazza.
But we see –
the clouds like furious ink
thick liquid sinks and
whips the wind
pitch shifted
rumble, screams from a swollen grin –
there’s a big storm rolling in
From Brews by Kate Tempest. Let Them Eat Chaos
 
The curatorial team, Caruso St John Architects with artist Marcus Taylor, have responded to event's Freespace, the theme of Biennale Architettura 2018 with the construction of a new public gathering space in the Giardini. Two different settings. Contrasting the new public gathering space on the roof, the interior of the pavilion has been left intentionally untouched after the last art exhibition in 2017.
 
Visitors approaching the British Pavilion will find the building covered with scaffolding supporting a wooden platform at roof-level. A staircase running the length of one side of the building leads up to an elevated piazza, a place to meet or to relax amongst the tree-tops of the Giardini, open to the sky with views across the Lagoon. Tea will be served at 4 p.m. each day, with seats and umbrellas offering comfort and shade. The peak of the Pavilion’s roof projects up through the floor at the centre of the space, suggesting both an island and a sunken world beneath.

In a joint statement, the curatorial team of Adam Caruso, Peter St John and Marcus Taylor said:
 
“In past Biennales, the Pavilion has held curated exhibitions on architectural themes. This year, we have taken a different approach. There will be no exhibits; instead we have realised a structure that can be experienced like a building. There are many ways to interpret the experience of visiting Island and the state of the building suggests many themes; including abandonment, reconstruction, sanctuary, Brexit, isolation, colonialism and climate change. It is intended as a platform, in this case also literally, for a new and optimistic beginning. It is forward looking whilst acknowledging the past, whether good or bad.”
 
Throughout La Biennale di Venezia, the British Pavilion will host a programme of events, performances, installations and debates responding to the theme Freespace and ideas raised by Island. The programme has been produced in of collaboration with partners including Tate Collective, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Design Museum, musician Matthew Herbert, poet Inua Ellams, Studio Wayne McGregor and many more. It will address topics ranging from migration and decolonisation to language and borders, from isolation and identity to buildings and landscapes.

The programme is launched at the opening of the Pavilion with a performance by spoken word artist Kate Tempest. On Friday 25 May, the Pavilion hosts the Royal Institute of British Architects’ EUROPA Super Session, to explore the future of architecture practice across Europe at this pivotal moment in history. This is followed by No Place Like Home, in which experts from a range of backgrounds present their perspectives on climate change and migration. With the exception of these performances, the building will be empty, abandoned and untouched after the last exhibition. A detailed Pavilion schedule will be made available to visitors at the start of each month from June to November.

More information

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Venue
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The British Pavilion is located in the Giardini.
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Dates
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The 16th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia opens to the public on Saturday, 26 May and closes on Sunday, 25 November 2018.
Vernissage: 24-25 May 2018
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British Pavilion opening times
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From 26 May until 25 November 2018, 10am - 6pm.
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Caruso St John Architects established their practice in 1990. The office of approximately 30 work in an open studio in a 1930s factory building in East London which the practice converted to studio use for themselves. In 2010 a second office was opened by the practice in Zurich.

Adam Caruso studied architecture at McGill University in Montreal. He worked for Florian Beigel and Arup Associates before establishing his own practice with Peter St John in 1990.

He taught at the University of North London from 1990-2000, and was Professor of Architecture at the University of Bath from 2002-2005. He has been Visiting Professor at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio, at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, at the ETH Zurich, and on the Cities Programme at the London School of Economics. In 2011 Adam Caruso was appointed Professor of Architecture and Construction at the ETH Zurich.

Peter St John began his architectural studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, completing them at the Architectural Association in 1984. He worked for Richard Rogers, Florian Beigel, Dixon Jones, and Arup Associates prior to establishing his own practice with Adam Caruso.

Peter taught at the University of North London from 1990-2000. He was a Visiting Professor at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio, Switzerland from 1999-2001, and Visiting Professor in the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at the University of Bath from 2001-2004. In 2005 he was a visiting critic at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. From 2007 to 2009 he was a visiting professor at ETH in Zurich. He is currently an external examiner at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture in Aberdeen and Cardiff School of Architecture.

Rod Heyes studied architecture at Cambridge University and the University of North London (now London Metropolitan University). He joined Caruso St John in 1998 and was made a senior associate in 2005. He plays a major role in the management of the practice, dealing specifically with resourcing and programming. He was project architect for the Brick House, the refurbishment of the Barbican Concert Hall, Spike Island in Bristol and Chiswick House Cafe. Rod is currently leading the practice's work at Tate Britain. He has taught architecture at the University of Bath and at London Metropolitan University and has led Diploma Unit 4 at Kingston University for the last three years. He has lectured widely in the UK including Plymouth Univeristy, the Univerity of Greenwich and Edinburgh University.

www.carusostjohn.com

Address:

London
1 Coate Street
London E2 9AG
+44 20 7613 3161

Zürich
Räffelstrasse 32
8045 Zürich
+41 44 454 80 90

Act.>. 01/2013 - 06/2016

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Marcus Taylor was born in Belfast in 1964. He grew up in Northern Ireland before attending Camberwell School of Art (BA) and The Slade School (Postgraduate). He has exhibited widely in the UK and abroad including the Saatchi Gallery and the British Art Show. His work has been collected by several major institutions including the Tate, Fondation Cartier and private collectors. He has worked on large scale projects including a bridge over Paddington Basin with engineers Buro Happold.

Recently he has collaborated with Caruso St John Architects on a proposal for the UK Holocaust Memorial, one of 10 shortlisted projects. He has been awarded a RIBA East Award, RIBA East Small Project Award and has been nominated for the RIBA House of the Year for a collaborative project with Lisa Shell Architects. This was also commended in the 2017 Architectural Review House award. He lives and works in London.
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