The Venice Architecture Biennale is the first major architecture event to take place since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020. Find out all you need to know about the event here.
Dates
The Venice Architecture Biennale is open to the public from 22 May to 21 November 2021, after it was postponed last year due to Covid-19.
Curator and theme
This year's biennale is curated by Lebanese architect Hashim Sarkis, who is dean of architecture and planning at MIT.
The biennale aims to answer the question: How will we live together? The curatorial brief asked participants to envision spaces where people from around the world can come together to share their solutions to global problems despite widening political and economic divides.
Locations
The Venice Architecture Biennale takes place across the city, but most of the key exhibitions are concentrated at two venues:
Giardini della Biennale
Sestiere Castello
30122 Venice
Arsenale di Venezia
Sestiere Castello
Camp Della Tana 2169/F
30122 Venice
National exhibitions
The biennale features national participants from 61 different countries. There are three countries taking part in the event for the first time: Grenada, Iraq and Republic of Uzbekistan.
These exhibitions are hosted in pavilions located across the city. The vast majority are hosted at the Giardini or the Arsenale. However, there are a few national pavilions in other venues dotted around the city.
See the list of national exhibitions ›
International exhibition
As well as the national exhibitions, the biennale features an international exhibition, which brings together participants from all around the world to explore the biennale's curatorial theme: How will we live together?
This exhibition, which includes 112 participants from 46 countries, is split between two sites: the main space at the Arsenale and the Central Pavilion at the Giardini. The exhibition is further subdivided into five sections that are intended to explore architecture at different scales: Among Diverse Beings, As New Households, As Emerging Communities, Across Borders, As One Planet.
There is also an offshoot of the international exhibition titled: How will we play together? Situated at Forte Marghera on the Venice mainland, the exhibition is dedicated to children's play and features contributions by five architects.
See the international exhibition participants ›
Other events
In addition to the national and international exhibitions, there are 17 other collateral events taking place at venues around the city.
See the list of collateral events ›
Talks
Along with the exhibitions, the biennale will host a programme of talks called Meetings on Architecture. These will bring together scholars and architects from around the world to address this year's theme through a series of lectures and panel discussions.
The talks will cover topics such as the new challenges that climate change brings to architecture, the role of public space in the recent urban uprisings and the relationship between curating and architecture.
The talks programme has not yet been announced. We will update this guide once it has been revealed.
Opening times
From 22 May to 31 July, the main biennale venues are open from 11:00am to 7:00pm. Last admissions are at 6:45pm.
From 1 August to 21 November, opening times are 10:00am to 6:00pm, with last admissions at 5:45pm.
All the venues are closed on Mondays, except for 24 May, 6 September and 1 November.
Covid-19 precautions
It is compulsory to wear a face covering for both indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces throughout the biennale.
Social distancing is also required and there will be temperature checks on entry to the venues.
The number of visitors to each Venue will be capped and the exhibitions feature a one-way route with separate entrances and exits to prevent crowding.
Tickets
General admission is €25.
Tickets for the event are not available on-site. Those who wish to attend must buy their tickets online, which they can print out themselves or save in pdf format on a smartphone or tablet.
Dezeen coverage
Dezeen is reporting on all the key news and projects coming out of Venice, including the best pavilions and exhibitions.
Curator Hashim Sarkis told us how the pandemic has forced participants to work in a more collaborative and sustainable way in this interview.
Read all our Venice Architecture Biennale coverage ›
The Venice Architecture Biennale takes place from 22 May to 21 November 2021 at various venues in Venice, Italy.