Kaynuna Kuwait Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
This year, on the occasion of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, we collaborated on the realization of the Kuwait Pavilion, promoted by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL). The project, titled Kaynuna, explores the tensions between space, time, and matter, offering a critical perspective on the urban and architectural transformation of contemporary Kuwait.
The exhibition is hosted at Tesa 42 of the Arsenale in Venice, a venue we helped activate again for this edition, overseeing every phase of its preparation and adaptation for the exhibition.
A pavilion-as-process
Kaynuna proposes a hybrid, process-oriented methodology. At the heart of the project is the progressive loss of vernacular architectural heritage in favor of demolition and replacement, in the name of modernization. The exhibition investigates the underlying causes of this cultural erosion and outlines a recovery framework that connects historical values, social context, and environmental sustainability.
More than a traditional exhibition, the pavilion serves as both a theoretical and practical infrastructure for rethinking urban development in the Gulf, promoting an architectural identity that goes beyond aesthetics—rooted instead in intentional, resilient, and localized models.
Kaynuna as a method
Moving away from conventional performance metrics, Kaynuna positions itself as a critical tool capable of questioning the conditions that generate space and the responsibilities tied to its transformation. The pavilion brings together designers, researchers, and curators in a collective exercise that weaves theory, practice, and visual narrative.
Through archival material, installations, and design proposals, the exhibition maps out a range of possibilities that go beyond the dichotomy of conservation and progress—offering an architectural vision reconnected with cultural and environmental context.
Our contribution
We managed the technical and logistical operations of the venue at Tesa 42, coordinating the installation, securing the space, and overseeing the permitting process necessary to open to the public. Our expertise in managing historical spaces within the Arsenale allowed us to support the NCCAL curatorial and organizational team effectively throughout the development of the pavilion.
Visiting the Pavilion
Kaynuna will be open to the public from 10 May to 23 November 2025, Tuesday to Sunday, at Tesa 42, Arsenale di Venezia – Fondamenta Case Nuove 2738/C.
Our services for the Kuwait Pavilion:
Venue Management – Exhibition Production – Technical Coordination – Permitting & Compliance
