Natural Architecture – Exhibition Preparation

It has been two years since our last visit to Venice. At that time, the architectural biennale was just one of the stops on the journey from the heated Balkans to the snowy Alps, yet the local merchants took full advantage of the opportunity to fleece Czech tourists. We managed to catch the last biennale, where zerozero refrigerators were exhibited in our federal pavilion, only towards the end of the exhibition. This time we set off to the city on the lagoon even before the entire architectural carousel, which will spin from August 29 to November 21, 2010, kicks off. Thanks to the understanding of this year's exhibition's authors, we had the chance to experience the unique atmosphere during the installation of Martin Rajniš's project in the Czechoslovak pavilion.
On one half of Novotný's building from 1925, a wooden embankment is growing under the supervision of e-MRAK and young Liberec architects Mjölk. The inner zen space, which calms with its warm light and the scent of drying wood, then dynamically expands in front of the pavilion, creating an engaging entrance to the pavilion. In the second half, reduced models of Rajniš's realizations at a scale of 1:6 will be suspended. These will be infinitely expanded by the side mirrored walls. This effect will be best enjoyed from the walkway terrace on the embankment, which can be accessed by a spiral staircase.
It is easier to recall the years when the Czechoslovak exhibition did not receive much understanding. This time, everything suggests that a turnaround might occur. It doesn't just rest on the figure of Martin Rajniš and his experiences with the exhibition from EXPO 1986 in Vancouver or the editorial work of Jana Tichá with Irena Fialová, but mainly on the diligent work of dedicated students from most Czech architectural schools.
While assembling the exhibition, a team of ten people works up to ten hours a day, yet they do not have to struggle with time pressure like other pavilions, though they all have a common enemy, and that is the silent, small, but efficient Italian mosquitoes. It was a completely new experience to feel the Venice biennale during the hectic preparations before the whole glory kicks off, where all the architectural elite will gather for the opening. The method of preparation speaks volumes about the nature of the nation. In addition, there is an opportunity to get to know the authors of the exhibitions in the surrounding pavilions more closely. The realization of the Czechoslovak one is largely the responsibility of passionate architecture students, who will also be in charge of a rich cultural program to keep the exhibition alive for another three months during the entire biennale. In e-MRAK, they decided to win the main prize, the Golden Lion, and dedicated everything to that goal. However, if they do not succeed, they are already collecting points for the friendly atmosphere and positive spirit that hovers over the entire realization team.
Our goal, however, was not just the construction site in Venice's Giardini, but also two museums in the Dorsoduro district that opened last year in reconstructed warehouses. The first is a gallery dedicated to the Venetian painter Emilio Vedova designed by Renzo Piano. The Spazio Vedova currently features an exhibition by sculptor Louise Bourgeois. The second space was Punta della Dogana from 1677, reconstructed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, where François Pinault, a French luxury goods merchant, has placed part of his extensive modern art collection. Four years ago, Tadao Ando also reconstructed Palazzo Grassi on the Canal Grande for the needs of the Pinault Foundation. We concluded our journey at the Brion family cemetery in San Vito d'Altivole, where, according to his last will, Carlo Scarpa was buried in a vertical position, whose life was inseparably linked to Venice.