Australia’s entry to the Venice Architecture Biennale is a response to the nation’s ‘no’ vote in the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum.
The biennale is known as the “Olympics of architecture” and in 2025, an Indigenous team will put the Australian referendum result on the world stage again in the form of a built installation.
The concept for the installation HOME is by Dr Michael Mossman, Emily McDaniel and Jack Gillmer-Lilley.
It’s designed as a gathering space with the floor covered in sand, surrounded by a rammed earth wall – an amphitheatre where people can learn about Indigenous culture.
It will be installed using local building materials at the Australia Pavilion in Venice.
The pavilion recently hosted another Indigenous work – kith and kin by First Nations artist Archie Moore, curated by Ellie Buttrose.
It won the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice Biennale for contemporary art, the first time an Australian entry has won this prestigious award.
“The bar has been set very high – we feel confident we will offer up an exhibition as compelling as the art biennale,” chief executive of the Australian Institute of Architects Dr Cameron Bruhn told AAP.
“It’s incredibly timely as we think about the pathway to reconciliation, having had a significant national misstep.”
The 2023 referendum on an Indigenous voice to parliament returned a ‘no’ vote of 60 per cent and was rejected by a majority in every state.
Dr Bruhn believes architects should be at the forefront of making the built environment part of a national reconciliation project.
The ideas behind the installation would filter back to building projects in Australia in the future, he said.
The Biennale is being curated by Italian architect, engineer and scholar in urban planning Carlo Ratti.
The pavilion will open in May 2025.
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