Outside the Box

Outside the Box

On the occasion of the 16th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, and in response to its general theme 'Freespace', the teams of the Belgian, Dutch and Spanish pavilions launch a joint Open Call.

This Open Call seeks to engage students, architects, designers, researchers, curators and artists of all ages and nationalities, to develop site-specific projects that encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing and solidarity across borders. Projects should propose a spatial intervention and action in the outdoor space in front of the Spanish, Belgian and Dutch pavilions, and during the official opening day of the Biennale, 26 May 2018.

Applicants are invited to imagine ways in which the Giardini could operate as a space for knowledge production, exchange, cross-pollination and representation beyond national demarcations; to question the methodological nationalism associated with the idea of an enclosed pavilion; and to reconsider the role, protocols and form of an opening ceremony and celebration.

Proposals 

• should create a dialogue between the three pavilions;
• become a prototype for changing conceptualizations of citizenship and nationhood within the Biennale;
• take into account the different scales and media in which the programme of the biennial operates; and
• question the tools of architectural thought and practice.

Submissions to this Open Call may take many formats, including but not limited to a festive event, spatial intervention, gathering, action, performance or public programme. In addition, proposals should define the specific time slot in which the event will take place on 26 May 2018, and take into consideration the public nature of the project as well as the fluctuating nature of that area of the Giardini.

Eligibility

Students, architects, designers, researchers, curators, artists and any other agents with an interest in architecture, of all ages and nationalities, are invited to apply.

Budget

For this call a maximum budget of €4.000 (a joint contribution by the Belgian, Dutch and Spanish pavilions) will be available.

Submission Requirements

Encouraging collaborative work, the Open Call is open to teams. Priority will be given to multinational teams. Applications should be written in any of the official or popular languages spoken in Belgium, the Netherlands or Spain. In order to be considered, proposals should be submitted in a single PDF file of maximum 10MB, consisting of maximum 3 A4 sheets, and should include the following information:

• a brief introduction of the team, including the names of team members
• contact information (address, telephone number, email)
• a concise description of the project and its motivations (maximum 400 words)
• associated image documentation that describes the spatial intervention and protocols involved
• a proposal for the location and timeframe of the intervention
• a description of the forms of public engagement
• budget (including fees, materials, transport of materials and tools, trip and accommodation if required) and status of co-financing for the project.

The deadline for submitting proposals is 12 February 2018.Proposals should be sent to: [email protected]

Guidelines Giardini

Applicants are requested to take the following restrictions in the use of the common area in the Giardini into consideration:

• interventions in the side walkways and green areas should be avoided;
• access to the restrooms and the technical buildings between the pavilions has to be guaranteed;
• digging is not allowed, nor any invasive intervention affecting the existing structures;
• all existing external structures or floors and green areas (trees, lawn, etc.) should be protected if these come in to contact with parts of the installation.

Selection Process

The curatorial teams of the Belgian, Dutch and Spanish pavilions will select one proposal from all the submissions. Applicants will receive a confirmation of the received application by 15 February.
The selected proposal will be submitted to the local authorities and the Biennale for permission. The winners will be contacted by 19 February.

Questions

For questions about the Open Call and the application procedure, please contact: [email protected]

More information...