Despite its seemingly anodyne title, The Laboratory of the Future, this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, curated by Ghanaian-Scottish academic and novelist Lesley Lokko, is anything but.
Shifting from a more formal, classically trained Eurocentric notion of architecture to something fresher, more improvised and nimble, the biennale, which runs until November 26, appears more connected to locale and context than before. The laboratory part of the title suggests experimentation and radical rethinking.
Though the national pavilions are not directly curated by Lokko, or even tasked to stick to the main themes of looking to the future, decolonisation and decarbonisation, many have chosen to use these ideas as guiding references.
The National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia is no exception, eschewing shiny or monumental gestures for a series of more traditional yet still alluring spaces with arches on either side of a rectangular central room that feels almost cave-like and prehistoric.
Inside the dimly lit central space is just one object – a hollow 3D-printed clay column with a mashrabiya pattern from which light is projected on to the floor, walls and ceiling. This object, and others that will be made throughout the biennale, will be relocated to the bottom of the Red Sea once it is over, where they will create new habitats for marine life and leave a legacy – as the pavilion’s Arabic title Irth, which means legacy or heritage, hints at – for future generations.
In much the same way, the faceted columns of the pavilion's arches evoke ancient gateways but are actually made of rows of 3D-printed clay tiles adorned with patterns inspired by undulating desert dunes and the vernacular architecture of Asir, a region in the south-west of the country that consists of coastal plains and high mountains.
Similarly to the illuminated object in the central space, these tiles meld together artifice and nature, technology and history.
It is in this long cavernous central space that one can also smell a fragrance created specifically for the pavilion.
“It was designed to capture elements of the culture,” explains assistant curator Joharah Lou Pabalate. “We have frankincense, which was a core element of our trade routes, we have myrrh and we also have lavender, which is, perhaps surprisingly for some, part of our flora. It’s our way of introducing Saudi Arabia to the world.”
Pabalate goes on to talk about memories linked to scent and says that growing up in the kingdom she was welcomed into the homes of friends by the smell of bahur, or incense, and that this smell always brings to mind “reminiscences of what the home is”.
What the architects and curators are honing in on here is the intangible (a word that comes up repeatedly) aspect of architectural space and cultural heritage.
“It’s truly the missing factor,” says Pabalate. “When we talk about architecture we always forget the unseen and focus on the visual, but memory and meaning making is really about what we don't see because it's something that's ingrained in you.”
There is something very true about these words and soon everyone in the central part of the pavilion is exchanging early or first memories linked to smell. These range from the scent of Jasmine to far more prosaic mothballs or the plastic smell of a freshly unwrapped G I Joe toy.
It’s a nice moment of collective sharing spawned by, of all things, a scent at a Biennale. And brings me on to pavilion architect AlBara Saimaldahar’s words at the opening.
Calling the space “an homage to the essence of Saudi vernacular architecture and its evolving landscape,” he says that “by utilising innovative technologies, and adapting traditional forms, patterns and materials, we wanted to provoke a contemplation on the role of the collective in the legacy of the built world.”
The collective is a big theme in this pavilion and more widely in this year’s Biennale. The curators of the Saudi pavilion, Basma and Noura Bouzo, are also keen to emphasise this when they say the pavilion is “a collaborative effort … that seeks to finds common ground in its desire to improve the human condition and answer the challenges confronting our world.”
In practice, what this means is that aside from being a series of beautiful, tactile and scented spaces, the pavilion also functions as a sort of incubator where you can find out more about the latest material experimentations in Saudi Arabia displayed in open vitrines dotted around the arches.
On display is some incredibly lifelike 3D printed coral created by the Coral Research & Development Accelerator, which is located at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.
Coral reefs are created by tiny marine animals that secrete a calcareous skeleton and are some of the most complex and vital three-dimensional structures on earth, providing vital coastal protection and homes to marine life.
As coral reefs grow very slowly and they are increasingly under stress from ocean acidification, these 3D printed models are being used to restore and replenish coastal marine landscapes in the Red Sea.
There is an interesting link here to vernacular and historic construction materials and techniques used in Jeddah’s historic district of Al Balad. Fossilised coral limestone blocks up to 250,000 years old were used in Al Balad for their porous properties and abilities to insulate against the salty air. The blocks were bound with a mortar made of lime and clay from the seabed.
Elsewhere, we see compressed building blocks made of soil and crushed stone – a sort of local rammed earth – and woven palm panels conceived by Riyadh-based Syn Architects that can be used to make roofs or shading structures, as well as walls and screens.
Both are made of elements found in abundance in Saudi Arabia, the latter in particular as the country has more than 31 million palm trees.
Samantha Cotter and Roth Architecture experiment with salt brine by combining various forms of salt with calcium carbonate, borax and recycled polypropylene respectively.
As a by-product of the desalination processes, salt is also plentiful in the region and not typically used in construction. Potential future applications that are being developed include wall finishes, tiles, screens and lamps.
When viewed as a whole, the pavilion can be seen as a bridge between the past and the future, as well as a workshop for the creation of new materials. It presents a case for a technology-led Saudi vernacular architecture that has yet to fully materialise, but is clearly well under way.
The Venice Architecture Biennale runs until November 26
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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%3Cp%3E-%20April%2017%2C%202013%3A%20A%20bipartisan-drafted%20bill%20to%20expand%20background%20checks%20and%20ban%20assault%20weapons%20fails%20in%20the%20Senate.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20July%202015%3A%20Bill%20to%20require%20background%20checks%20for%20all%20gun%20sales%20is%20introduced%20in%20House%20of%20Representatives.%20It%20is%20not%20brought%20to%20a%20vote.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20June%2012%2C%202016%3A%20Orlando%20shooting.%20Barack%20Obama%20calls%20on%20Congress%20to%20renew%20law%20prohibiting%20sale%20of%20assault-style%20weapons%20and%20high-capacity%20magazines.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20October%201%2C%202017%3A%20Las%20Vegas%20shooting.%20US%20lawmakers%20call%20for%20banning%20bump-fire%20stocks%2C%20and%20some%20renew%20call%20for%20assault%20weapons%20ban.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20February%2014%2C%202018%3A%20Seventeen%20pupils%20are%20killed%20and%2017%20are%20wounded%20during%20a%20mass%20shooting%20in%20Parkland%2C%20Florida.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20December%2018%2C%202018%3A%20Donald%20Trump%20announces%20a%20ban%20on%20bump-fire%20stocks.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20August%202019%3A%20US%20House%20passes%20law%20expanding%20background%20checks.%20It%20is%20not%20brought%20to%20a%20vote%20in%20the%20Senate.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20April%2011%2C%202022%3A%20Joe%20Biden%20announces%20measures%20to%20crack%20down%20on%20hard-to-trace%20'ghost%20guns'.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20May%2024%2C%202022%3A%20Nineteen%20children%20and%20two%20teachers%20are%20killed%20at%20an%20elementary%20school%20in%20Uvalde%2C%20Texas.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20June%2025%2C%202022%3A%20Joe%20Biden%20signs%20into%20law%20the%20first%20federal%20gun-control%20bill%20in%20decades.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
FA Cup semi-finals
Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
Sunday: Chelsea v Southampton, 6pm (UAE)
Matches on Bein Sports
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Manchester United v Barcelona, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Dunbar
Edward St Aubyn
Hogarth
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
