Critical Dialogues,
Venice Biennale
Location: Venice, Italy
Type: Expo
Stage: Completed - 2012
DO were selected as one of four practices to represent Scotland at the 2012 Venice Biennale, under the Title 'Critical Dialogues'.
Our project, Deriva Veneziana, set out to explore and map the working life and periphery of the city through photographs and film footage shot remotely from a low-flying red helium balloon.
A journey across the city over the course of a 24 hour period observed, recorded and mapped the marginal, often invisible, activities that make up urban life and which keep the city functioning.
The still and moving imagery was edited into a film which takes the viewer on a previously unseen journey through the city.
DO were one of 4 emerging practices selected (alongside GRAS, Pidgin Perfect and Stone Opera) to represent Scotland, working with Jonathan Charley, Judith Winter and the team at Graphical House. The resulting collaborative project Critical Dialogues explored the social role of the architect and the creative boundaries of architectural practice.
More information is available at Architecture + Design Scotland, and Scotland & Venice. Recently A+DS have also published a collection of material giving an overview of all Scotland & Venice projects over the last 10 years.
This project won the 2012 RSA Gold Medal for Architecture.