On the occasion of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, the Venice Pavilion will host the exhibition Libraries. Building Venetian intelligence. This initiative positions Venice as a candidate to become a centre of excellence for the emerging economy of knowledge and intuition. At its core is an innovative, decentralised library system—a living network of 101 city libraries, collectively forming a singular, city-wide library: an ecosystem of knowledge embedded in the urban fabric of Venice.
The Venice Pavilion, located in the Giardini della Biennale, will serve as yet another node in this system—configured as a functioning library. Its shelves will display specially created books for the exhibition, catalogues from museum institutions, and a data landscape that communicates the structure of Venetian intelligence.
In this context, the Municipality of Venice together with the VEZ Library, the Iuav University of Venice, CNR-Ismar and the Order of Architects, Planners, Landscape Architects and Conservationists of Venice are pleased to launch an international call for participation. The call invites architects from around the world to contribute to the construction of Venetian intelligence through their own books.
Each participant is invited to donate one or more books—formally published by a recognised publisher—of which they are the author, co-author, curator, or co-curator. These contributions will become part of the Pavilion’s library display during the Biennale.
How to participate
Books may be submitted throughout the duration of the Biennale by post to the following address:
ORDINE ARCHITETTI PIANIFICATORI PAESAGGISTI E CONSERVATORI DI VENEZIA
Isola del Tronchetto, 14
30135 Venezia (Italy)
We warmly invite architects worldwide to contribute to this unique initiative, helping to shape a collective and forward-looking vision for knowledge, culture, and architecture in Venice.
For further details about the project and the curatorial vision, please refer to the flyer (Padiglione Venezia 2025), and the poster (Manifesto Biblioteche), which provide visual and organisational context for the exhibition.