The 5thTallinn Architecture Biennale (TAB 2019), will open its doors on September 11th, 2019 in multiple venues in the heart of Tallinn, with a vast program conceived to foster dialogue, multidisciplinarity, and experimentation. Dedicated to the theme “Beauty Matters”, the international architecture festival organized by the Estonian Centre for Architecture is curated by Dr. Yael Reisner. The event, supported by the Headline Partner ABB, celebrates the aesthetic experience in architecture, following almost 80 years of cultural bias.
TAB 2019 Official Programme consists of five main events: A Curatorial Exhibition, a Symposium, a Vision Competition Exhibition, an Installation Programme, and an International Architecture Schools' Exhibition. In parallel, these events will be enriched by a Satellite Programme comprising of exhibitions, lectures, installations, architectural film screenings and other events around the city; and by TAB Club, an information hub and a meeting place at Tallinn Creative Hub Kultuurikatel.
The Curatorial Exhibition reflects on the concept of beauty: “Aspiring to beauty is aiming at depth — the true challenge in architecture, as it is in poetry, mathematics, or politics. The eight invited architects were challenged to design a project that is both local to Tallinn and global; a conduit for the emotional experience of beauty in an urban context”,asserts the Head Curator.
The architects involved have been asked to propose a project focusing on beauty through the lens of habitation: The Open Cave by Sou Fujimoto Architects (JP); Augmented Nature by Elena Manferdini (USA); The Venn Room by Space Popular (UK); Tick by KTA (EST); Beauty-Ful(l) Life by Kadri Kerge (EST, USA); Temporal Environment by soma (AT); TRANSOCCUPATION by MARCH studio (AU); and Growing Cities by Barnaby Gunning Studio & Yael Reisner Studio (UK).
The TAB Conference Programme unfolds with the one-day conference “Space and Digital Reality” and the two-day symposium "Beauty Matters. Just Like Love, It’s Real", which aims to generate genuine interdisciplinary debates. The list of participants includes the philosopher Graham Harman (USA); the poetess Maria Lee (EST), the mathematician Ron Aharoni (IL), the researcher Taylor Enoch (UK) and ABB’s manager Kim Listman (DE)among others.
The Vision Competition Exhibition entitled “New Habitats, New Beauties” showcases a selection of more than 80 competition entries. Participants were asked to escape the bland globalisation of standard architecture and to find new concepts in keeping with the alternative lifestyles of the inhabitants on the east side of Kopli, in the North of Tallinn.
The Installation Programme consists of an exhibition of the models created by the 12 finalists of the competition “Huts and Habitats”, whilstthe winning installation Steampunk by Gwyllim Jahn, Cameron Newnham (Fologram, AU), Soomeen Hahm Design (UK), Igor Pantic (UK), Format Engineers (UK) will begin construction this week. Located in the lively green pedestrian area facing the Museum of Estonian Architecture, it will be presented during TAB 2019 Opening Week and will remain in place until the next edition in 2021.
Finally, “Terribly Beautiful” is the title chosen for the International Architecture Schools’ Exhibition, which includes the latest works by the most prestigious academic institutions worldwide.
Tickets for Tallinn Architecture Biennale (TAB 2019) are now officially on sale at this link.
