Designed to tackle the challenge of extreme heat, Bahrain’s award-winning pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia blends innovation with tradition.

The Bahrain pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in Venice, Italy, made a strong impression, earning the Golden Lion for Best National Participation. Titled Heatwave, the pavilion is located in the Artiglierie section of the Arsenale (the main site of the exhibition) and responds to this year’s overarching theme: Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective. The Kingdom’s participation was commissioned by His Excellency Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA). Curated and designed by architect Andrea Faraguna (who also led the research), Heatwave presents an architectural proposal to address the growing challenge of rising global temperatures. Drawing inspiration from traditional Bahraini cooling techniques, it introduces a passive outdoor cooling installation designed to promote environmental resilience and social sustainability, particularly in countries at the forefront of extreme heat.

The design incorporates a geothermal well and a solar chimney, connecting underground humidity with exterior airflow. Conceived as a modular structure, the installation is adaptable to a variety of urban settings. The pavilion explores the role of passive cooling and shading systems in mitigating heat and underscores the intersection of climate, architecture and social equity.

Accepting the Golden Lion award in the presence of leading architects and senior officials and alongside members of the participating team, HE Shaikh Khalifa said: “It is a great honour to receive the Golden Lion on behalf of the Kingdom of Bahrain. We are grateful to La Biennale di Venezia for providing this global platform that enables the exchange of ideas and initiatives with countries around the world. The National Pavilion, Heatwave, addresses not only the environmental challenges facing the Kingdom but also those confronting the world at large. Through this concept, we aimed to shed light on these issues in an innovative manner.”

This marks Bahrain’s second Golden Lion (the first came in 2010) and its eighth showing at the Biennale. To accompany the exhibition, BACA is releasing a publication featuring numerical analysis, expert essays and field surveys to extend the research impact beyond the installation itself. The ongoing exhibition runs until November 23. ✤

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