Pavilion of the Holy See at Venice Biennial 2018 by Carla Juaçaba

The chapel designed by Carla Juaçaba is perfectly integrated between the landscape of Venice, with the surrounding vegetation conforming the inner space of the chapel. The space between the treetops – the vision of the sky – functions like the ceiling of the chapel.

Among those selected are the Pritzker award-winning architects Eduardo Souto de Moura (Portugal) and Norman Foster (England), as well as South American Smiljan Radic (Chile), Javier Corvalán (Paraguay). The selection is completed by Flores & Prats (Spain), Francesco Celini (Italy), Sean Godsell (Australia), Andrew Berman (United States) and Teronobu Fujimori (Japan).

The chapels will be built and arranged for public visitation on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, next to the famous basilica of the architect Andrea Palladio, dating from 1573. The intention of the Vatican is to be dismantled at the end of the Biennale and rebuilt in the Italian communities that suffered with the earthquakes of the last two years.

Structurally, they are four beams of square section of 12 by 12 centimeters and with 8 meters of length, that form the set: a cross in foot, and a cross placed in the ground. One is a bank, the other the Cross: two important elements of the Catholic churches represented by the architect. The beams are made of polished stainless steel, transforming them into mirrors that reflect the surroundings: the Chapel can disappear at a certain moment depending on the reflections of the sun and the trees.

The Pavilion of the Holy See, 16th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, 2018