Australian Pavilion
The new Australian Pavilion is a two level concrete and steel structure with a footprint of 329.7m2.
The exterior, a black granite envelope, features large operable panels on three faces with one panel serving as the building’s formal entrance.
Entry is via a steel ramp leading to a floating concrete terrace overlooking the Rio dei Giardini canal.
The public spaces are on the first floor, encompassing an entrance foyer and exhibition gallery of 240.5m2, a neutral space of polished concrete floor, five metre high plasterboard over plywood walls with an acoustic plasterboard ceiling.
The Black Box
A rectilinear block modified to incorporate a cantilever over the canal side pathway.
The solid black is able to be opened up to ‘reveal’ the interior or to provide outlook or natural light. By allowing the possibility of opening up panels, the otherwise solid, singular object is able to take on a changing character depending on the requirements of a particular exhibition.
The external image of the Pavilion is able to change, chameleon like, as the exhibitions themselves change; closed and mysterious, open and visually accessible, extrovert and colourful.
The White Box
The exhibition space is a white space where art is the focus. The exhibition space is a pure rectilinear space of an almost perfect square proportion.
“Our idea was to create a simple yet confident, memorable, powerful pavilion. Standing apart but respectful of the historic garden setting; timeless but with vitality, tactility and materiality that invite curiosity and engagement. In not crossing the line of architectural expression competing with display content, we establish the core idea of a white box within a black box.”
The new Australian Pavilion embodies themes of sustainability and timelessness, and celebrate the distinctiveness and variety of Australian creative endeavours.
It is the first 21st century pavilion in the Giardini della Biennale, officially opened at the 56th International Art Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia in May 2015. With completion of the Pavilion, an ambitious new chapter has begun for the representation of Australian art and architecture internationally.