The Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) has launched its search for a creative director for the Australian Exhibition at the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale.

From 21 March until 18 April, members of the profession and the public will be able to lodge expressions of interest for the creative director’s/directors’ role. For more information, click here.

The 14th International Architecture Exhibition will be held for almost six months, from 7 June to 23 November 2014, twice as long as in previous years and this is due to a change to the scope of the event.

The existing Australian Pavilion is not expected to be available, due to the construction of a new Pavilion in its place.

A brief proposal is required that outlines the concept and the relationship to the ‘Fundamentals’ theme. It should also nominate the creative team and support structure and state the experience and capability of the proposed creative director/s.

Photo taken from the bridge looking towards the current location of the Australian Pavilion.

The RAIA said:

"Not having a pre-existing floor-space to fill, presents a myriad of possibilities as to how the 2014 Australian presence can manifest on this international stage.

These issues pose interesting challenges/opportunities for the creative director/s."

Along with these factors, applicants should consider:

-How they envision Australia’s participation in 2014 and what engaging story they want to tell an international audience about architecture and the built environment in Australia?

-Their response to Rem Koolhaas’s comment "Ideally, we would want the represented countries to engage a single theme – Absorbing Modernity: 1914-2014 – and to show, each in their own way, the process of the erasure of national characteristics in favour of the almost universal adoption of a single modern language in a single repertoire of typologies"?

Past themes and directors:

2006: Micro Macro City

Creative Directors Shane Murray and Nigel Bertram

2008: ABUNDANT

Creative Directors Neil Durbach, Vince Frost, Wendy

Lewin, Kerstin Thompson and Gary Warner

2010: NOW and WHEN

Creative Directors John Gollings and Ivan Rijavec

2012: Formations

Creative Directors Anthony Burke, Gerard Reinmuth,

with TOKO concept design

"One of the most important events for the promotion of international architecture, the Biennale allows for Australians to demonstrate their unique views and work, which in turn contributes to the advancement of architecture both domestically and internationally.

The Australian Institute of Architects’ commitment to an Australian exhibition at the Biennale is substantial and ongoing," the RAIA said.

The Biennale is supported by the architecture community, governments and sponsors, the Australian Exhibitions at the Venice Biennale in previous years have attracted up to 93,000 visitors. More than 178,000 people visited the three-month Biennale in 2012, which included the participation of 55 Countries and 18 collateral events. 

Thousands of the world's most influential architects, designers, urban planners, and critics visit the Biennale, resulting in discussion and commentary in the architectural press and general media.