Qatar has announced that it will establish a permanent national pavilion in the Giardini della Biennale, the historic venue of La Biennale di Venezia since 1895. With this addition, Qatar becomes one of only 31 countries with a permanent pavilion in the Giardini, joining a select group of nations with dedicated exhibition spaces. Only two new national pavilions have opened there in the past 50 years, including Australia in 1988 and the Republic of Korea in 1996. The new Qatar Pavilion will serve as a lasting platform for showcasing the country's artistic and architectural contributions, with rotating exhibitions presented during each edition of the Biennale.
For its inaugural presentation during the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia (Biennale Architettura 2025), Qatar will present a two-part exhibition organized by the Future Art Mill Museum. The presentation will take place at both the new Qatar Pavilion in the Giardini and ACP–Palazzo Franchetti. Central to the Qatar Pavilion will be Community Centre, an installation by acclaimed Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari.
The work will explore themes of community and shared spaces, aligning with the broader exhibition "Beyti Beytak. My home is your home. La mia casa è la tua casa.," which investigates how hospitality and traditions of welcome manifest in contemporary architecture from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA). The exhibition will feature more than 20 architects from the MENASA region, presenting both modern pioneers and contemporary practitioners.
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2025 Venice Architecture Biennale: Over 750 Participants Researching How Architecture Adapts to the FutureAmong the modern architects are Raj Rewal from India, Nayyar Ali Dada from Pakistan, Abdel Wahed El Wakil from Egypt, and Minnette de Silva from Sri Lanka. Their work will be shown alongside contemporary voices such as Marina Tabassum and Nabil Haque from Bangladesh, Sameep Padora and Vastu Shilpa from India, Daaz Studio from Iran, Abeer Seikaly from Jordan, Sumaya Dabbagh from the UAE, Liz Diller from the USA, Meriem Shabani from Iran, and New South Studio from France.
The announcement of Qatar's permanent pavilion follows the signing of a Protocol of Cooperation between Qatar Museums and the Municipality of Venice in June 2024, an agreement that aims to foster long-term cultural exchange between Qatar, Venice, and Italy.
La Biennale di Venezia is the world's pre-eminent gathering in art and architecture, and the Giardini is the historic landscape where extraordinary pavilions stand as ambassadors for their nations. Qatar is proud to take its place in this international assembly, advancing our role in cultural diplomacy and providing a platform for creative voices from Qatar and the MENASA region. -- Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
In other similar news, Qatar has just announced the design for its pavilion at Expo Osaka 2025 by Kengo Kuma and Associates. In 2024, Qatar launched the Design Doha Prize, a new platform to promote innovative design in the MENA region. Finally, last year marked the inaugural edition of Design Doha 2024, expanding Qatar's cultural presence on the global stage.
We invite you to check out ArchDaily's comprehensive coverage of the 2025 Venice Biennale.
