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The Ultimate Guide to the World's Architecture and Design Biennials

Venice? Chicago? Lisbon? Seoul? Architecture biennials, biennales, triennials, and triennales have become a vital part of the culture of modern architecture. Every two or three years, they debut new ideas, discuss popular topics, and showcase the best of what is happening in the field for both today and tomorrow. But, with the proliferation of these events in countries around the world, they can be tough to keep track of. How many are there, and when are they? ArchDaily has you covered. Below we have compiled what we believe is a comprehensive list showing the what, where, and when of the world's architecture and design biennials, triennials, and a handful of the larger yearly events. We've also included some more in-depth descriptions of a handful that have (in recent years at least) proven themselves to be big names.

2015 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture

The 2015 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (2015 UABB), the world’s only biennale dedicated to the themes of urbanism and architecture, announced its highlight exhibits. Based in Shenzhen, one of China’s first Special Economic Zones, 2015 UABB will feature presentations from over 72 exhibitors from six continents who will all explore the theme “Re-Living The City”. Opening to the public on 4 December this year, 2015 UABB will take over the former Dacheng Flour Factory in Shekou, a declining factory complex built in 1980s that will be transformed into a multifaceted exhibition venue especially for the biennale.

A History of the Venice Architecture Biennale

A History of the Venice Architecture Biennale - Featured Image
The Corderie at the Arsenale © ArchDaily

For over a century, the Venice Biennale (La Biennale di Venezia) has been one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the world. The avant-garde institution has remained at the forefront in the research and promotion of new artistic trends, while leading international events in the field of contemporary arts that are amongst the most important of their kind. Over the past thirty years, the Biennale has given growing importance to the Architecture Exhibition, which is still a young component of the Biennale considering that its first exhibition was held in 1975. Today, the Venice Biennale captures a multitude of interest from around the globe and attracts over 370,000 international visitors.

Before the festivities of the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale begin tomorrow, read up on the origin of this highly acclaimed international exhibition.

A timeline history of the Venice Architecture Biennale:

Wim Wenders to make 3D Documentary on Architecture

Wim Wenders to make 3D Documentary on Architecture - Featured Image
© European Parliament / Pietro Naj-Oleari

Since Wim Wenders’s new documentary “Pina” hit the theaters this month, the online world hasn’t stopped talking about the German film director’s plan to create a 3D documentary film on architecture. In a recent interview with the Documentary Channel, Wenders revealed his plans stating, “I have actually already started a long-term project, another documentary in 3D. It will take several years, but it’s going to be about architecture. I have always wanted to do a film about architecture, and I have a lot of architect friends. But that is another subject I never really knew how to approach with film. I realized through PINA that architecture is something that could have a real affinity to this medium. We started shooting already, but it’s at the very, very beginning. That’s going to be my next documentary project in 3D, but I would definitely also do a narrative film in the future in 3D as well.”

Continue reading for more information and videos.

Egyptian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale

Egyptian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale - Image 4 of 4
Courtesy of INVERT Studios

Architects Ahmed Mito, Kamel Loqman, Hisham Alaa and artists Ayman Lotfy, Ahmed Refat, Niveen Farghaly, and Amer Abdelhakemrecently took part of the prestigious La Biennale di Venezia where they presented their work for the Egyptian Pavilion. Images and the architects description after the break.

Austrian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale

Austrian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale - Image 3 of 4
© Piero Codato

The Austrian Exhibition at the Austria Pavilion for the Biennale di Venezia 2010 is designed and curated by Eric Owen Moss. More images after the break.

Romanian Pavilion at Venice Biennale

1:1 es the exhibition space for the Romanian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The project was designed by architects Romina Grillo, Ciprian Răşoiu, Liviu Vasiu, Matei Vlăsceanu and Tudor Vlăsceanu. Images and architect’s description after the break.

More photos from the Venice Biennale

More photos from the Venice Biennale - Image 3 of 4
© Patricia Parinejad

A couple of weeks ago we showed you some photos of the Biennale by Marco Zanta. Today, photographer Patricia Parinejad sent us more pictures from different installations at the Venice Biennale. Check them after the break.

Territorial Dissonances / NOVAE Architecture

Territorial Dissonances / NOVAE Architecture - Image 1 of 4
Courtesy of NOVAE Architecture

NOVAE Architecture has been recently selected as one of the 10 Young Italian Architects under 35 at the “Architects Meet at Fuori Biennale”, for the Venice Biennale. For the event, they presented their project “Teritorial Dissonances”. More images and architect’s description after the break.

4am by dePaor Architects at Venice Biennale

4am by dePaor Architects at Venice Biennale - Image 11 of 4
© Alice Clancy

dePaor Architects present a folly in pleated linen and lavendered softwood, called “4am”, in the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in the Giardini of Venice. The project constructs a liminal space, between two bespoke subject objects, as a domestic shadowplay.

LOOP City / BIG

We’re so happy to share this video BIG passed along to us highlighting their contribution to the 2010 Venice Biennale. Entitled the LOOP City, the exhibition focuses on a new Metro loop that become the catalyst for development for the cross border region as different programs grow around the new stations. The loop will connect areas around the Øresund Strait in a sustainable spine of public transport, energy exchange and electric car infrastructure. The design introduces a new “vein of true urbanity” that will weave it was through the suburbs. This new loop will create a new realm by uniting specific points, yet activating each interstitial segment.

More about the project after the break.

French Pavilion at the Venice Biennale

French Pavilion at the Venice Biennale - Image 4 of 4
© Patricia Parinejad

Photographer Patricia Parinejad shared with us some photos of the French Pavilion at the Venice Biennale designed by Dominique Perrault Architecture. You can see more images after the break.

Update from the Venice Biennale by Marco Zanta

Update from the Venice Biennale by Marco Zanta - Image 12 of 4
© Marco Zanta

Italian photographer Marco Zanta shared with us some great photographs of the exhibitions currently showed at the Venice Biennale.

100 MAJA/ HOUSES: Participation of Estonia at La Biennale di Venezia

100 MAJA/ HOUSES: Participation of Estonia at La Biennale di Venezia - Image 1 of 4

n order to demonstrate the historical continuity and unique position of private residential architecture in the local architectural scene, the exhibition includes private residences with special iconic meaning from the period of the first Estonian Republic and the Soviet era. However, the main emphasis is placed on the 21st century, thereby creating such a voluminous overview of the best of Estonian residential architecture for the first time.

The Exhibition is accompanied by a 250-page catalogue, with rich illustrative material and articles, to expand the topic. For more information, click here. You can see six Estonian houses after the break.

Russian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale

Russian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale - Image 7 of 4
© Patricia Parinejad

Photographer Patricia Parinejad shared with us this photographs of the Russian Pavilion designed by nps tchoban voss for the Venice Biennale. Check them all after the break.

Croatian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale

Croatian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale - Image 30 of 4
© Courtesy of the Authors

Based on the idea of Mirage, described at the wikipedia as a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky, the team that designed the Croatian Pavilion for the Venice Biennale decided to create a floating pavilion to present arts and architecture of Croatia at the Venice Biennale.

Following the same principles of a Fata Morgana, which is an unusual and very complex form of Mirage that can be seen in a narrow band right above the horizon, the Floating Pavilion is constructed on an existing barge with dimensions of 10m x 20m x 3m. It is designed by a group of 14 leading Croatian architects, who have made the recent Croatian architecture visible on the global scene. Instead of working in the usual formats of their practices and presenting speculative projects, they decided to work together on a single proposal and to have it constructed and towed toward its final destination in Venice right away. The pavilion structure is the barge’ cargo, welded from 30 tons of Q385 wire mesh in more than 40 layers of varying contours. The cargo presented here maps the process of intense interaction between architects working on the common project, their collaboration with the Croatian maritime industry, and the extraordinary act of architecture it produced. Please follow the pavilion’s maiden voyage across the Adriatic over here

Croatian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale - Image 2 of 4
© Courtesy of the Authors

Audi Urban Future Award exhibition opening

Audi Urban Future Award exhibition opening - Featured Image

Five of the architecture offices invited to participate will be presenting the results of their work to the public in an exhibition designed by Raumlaborberlin.

Strelka presentation at the Venice Biennale

Strelka presentation at the Venice Biennale - Image 6 of 4

As we told you in May, OMA + AMO will collaborate with Strelka, a postgraduate school for media, architecture and design in Moscow.

Now, the presentation of this very special partnership will take place at the Architecture Biennale 2010 in Venice on August 26th between 2:30 and 3:45 pm.

More information after the break.