Archiweb wants to send seven samurais to Venice

Basic characteristics of the project

What do we want to achieve?
Our goal is to present contemporary Czech architecture seriously and attractively at the same time. We have selected the most interesting examples of what Czech architecture can offer the world. We are trying to achieve a great effect with simple means.
We perceive the upcoming Biennale as a professional fair of world architecture. It is the most prestigious architecture exhibition in the world for us, and only the best should exhibit there. Architects come to the Biennale both to showcase their work and to gather inspiration. If someone wants entertainment, they will go to the world exhibition Expo in Shanghai in 2010.
We want to change the image of Czech architecture. We want to present its diversity. We do not wish to favor architecture of a specific style. We do not want to focus on architects of a certain age, gender, or field. We are not interested in any selected typological type or construction material. We focus solely on quality and timeless architectural opinion.
We do not want to fail. We strive to avoid experimentation and bet on the classic values of architecture. We traditionally present the work of architects - through physical models, plans, visualizations, accompanying texts, videos, etc.
Through the Biennale, we want to facilitate access for the global public to Czech architecture - in addition to the work of specific architects, we want to highlight books and magazines about our architecture, institutions including architectural schools, and the most important galleries and exhibition halls focused on architecture.
The editorial board of Archiweb has been searching for the most talented Czech architects since 2003 and awarding them the Archiweb Prize. At the upcoming Biennale, we have decided to organize a grand meeting of past Archiweb Prize laureates and comprehensively present these creators, who stand out from the mainstream of Czech or world architecture and enrich it.
We informally call our project "Seven Samurai" - both after the number of exhibitors and the cult film, whose plot may be crucial for the upcoming Biennale. During the work on the exhibition project, we minimized it to the official slogan "7".


Koucký-Sládeček-Fránek-Rajniš-HŠH-Línek-Skalický

Every year, a significant Czech architect receives the Archiweb Prize. The adjective significant is very important in the context of the international exhibition, as we believe it is necessary to long-term repair the reputation of Czech architecture within the Venice Biennale and avoid ideological failure.
Each of the laureates is a distinct personality. Thanks to the wide scope of the seven selected offices, it will be possible to present the best current Czech architectural, urban, and design work at the exhibition. The exhibited exhibits ensure coverage of a large part of the formal spectrum - from minimalism to deconstructivism.
By packing seven consistent architectural opinions into one space, a completely unconventional perspective may emerge. The immediate proximity of the exhibits will provoke a range of questions and reflections in visitors. The landscape of ideas will represent Czech architecture dignifiedly in both quality and quantity, fulfilling one of our premises - to show the Czech architectural scene as diverse, current, and successful part of culture.
Several Archiweb Prize laureates work in architectural schools and can enrich their exhibition part with academic research or creative experiments. We would like to motivate the exhibiting architects to present projects or to define themselves creatively on the themes articulated by Kazuyo Sejima, the curator of the upcoming Biennale. Collaboration between laureates and students could be a refreshing experience within the exhibition.
We cannot be as sexy as the Dutch, Spanish, or Scandinavians. However, we can offer the world an interesting picture of our architecture that will attract many visitors and can, as we firmly believe, positively change their perception of Czech architecture in their minds. For this purpose, we are sending seven samurai of the local scene to Venice and are convinced that their swords are capable of this task.

Spatial solution
The proposed spatial solution represents version 0.1 of the final arrangement. The design of individual elements may change during preparations, but their function will remain intact. We spatially divided the pavilion into three parts - entrance, information zone, and the exhibition itself of the seven Archiweb Prize laureates.
The exhibition with the slogan "7" announces itself already at the entrance. We envision a rather prominent sign that will contrast with the building structure of the pavilion. In the proposed project, we used the typographic edge of the number seven and embedded it across the entire height into the space of the main entrance.
The information zone connects to the main entrance and is unevenly filled with seating furniture. It thus provides a place to recharge before or alternatively relax after visiting the landscape of ideas. In the corners of this space are two mega panels. One of them contains a large LCD screen, on which seven short films about the exhibiting architects are projected in an infinite loop. The panel also carries text information about the importance and visibility of the exhibited architects in the context of the Czech architectural scene, etc.
In the second corner, there will be an info nook - we would very much like to solve it as a multifunctional counter-reception, where there would be technical support for the pavilion and at the same time it would serve as a base for Czech journalists at the Biennale. It could also serve as a gift shop or otherwise. The form of this space could arise from a discussion among institutions that could present themselves in this location.
The most important part of the exhibition is the landscape of ideas, consisting of seven interrupted strips-tables-counters, on which the exhibits are placed. Each laureate has one strip measuring 11 meters. Based on the shape of the strip and the mirror reflection effect on the back wall of the pavilion, the designation gondola began to appear during the design process, which we liked. Each architect thus floats through the pavilion on their gondola, transporting their work, which they plan to present in an original way.