This week, the winning Australian submission was announced for the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale. Repair by Baracco+Wright Architects in collaboration with artist Linda Tegg will see thousands of native and endangered plant species travel to Italy to pose questions about what’s at stake when we occupy land.
Extensive plots of grassland will sit alongside large-scale architectural projections in Baracco+Wright’s exhibition. Now, the creative directors of Baracco+Wright and the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA, which is presenting Australia’s submission) are calling for architects, landscape architects, and urban designers to contribute to the installation.
“Since we’ve been making buildings and cities in Australia, it’s mostly been to separate us from the natural environment,” says Louise Wright of Baracco+Wright.
“Consequences of the disregard of natural systems have now been felt. There is a shift of thinking among built environment disciplines towards repairing the natural environment as a meaningful and enduring framework for urban form and an expansion of the natural environment in a sort of reverse order of urban sprawl.”
Designs are sought that “demonstrate the role of architecture as an agent of repair,” to complement Baracco+Wright’s attempt to highlight how built environment disciplines can help shift the order of suburban sprawl. Successful submissions will “have been conceived in relationship with their ecosystem to effect repair, whether it be civic, social, cultural, economic or environmental.” Works can be built or unbuilt and represent any scale, context or program. However, teams or collaborations must include at least one architect who is a member of the AIA.
Submissions close on 25 September 2017 at 9pm, and can be made here.
