Hi! – Padiglione Venezia

Hi! is B22’s contribution to the 15th International Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia.

With an extent of 2.000 ha – two and a half times the historical city center of Venice – Porto Marghera is one of the biggest industrial sites of Italy.
It was built at the beginning of the twentieth century as a portion of a larger plan for the physical as well administrative reorganization of the Venetian lagoon, to provide Venice with a new modern harbor and an adequate space for the expansion of the industrial activities.

In the collective imaginary, the role of Porto Marghera has changed over the past decades: from a symbol of modernity, to an emblem of the economical and industrial crisis, to ecological danger. Today, the area is facing many issues, such as the competition with the emerging countries or the need to rethink how manufacture activities should be carried out, also in light of the growing importance given to environment and culture related matters. Far from being new issues, all such items have been on the political agenda for the last thirty years. Bilbao, Duisburg, Dortmund and Metz have shown that it is possible to successfully overcome the old conceptual schemes; however, Hunedoara, Brno, Ostrava are the living proofs that some work still needs to be done. Hence, a vision for Porto Marghera should be seen as an opportunity to reflect in a broader sense on the issue of the European city, on its potentials as well as on its actual problems.

Hi! Marghera
15a International Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia
a project by B22 with Marco Voltini and Marina Caneve

Padiglione Venezia – Up! Marghera on stage
curators: Matteo D’Ambros and Nicola Picco
28 may- 27 november 2016
Giardini di Castello – Venice

Further information:
Hi! Marghera on our website
Hi! Marghera on Google Arts & Culture