Another Generosity, curated by Eero Lundén and Juulia Kauste, is the Nordic contribution to the 2018 International Architecture Exhibition in Venice.
The Nordic Pavilion was designed by Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn and has been a collaborative exhibition space between Finland, Norway and Sweden since its completion in 1962. Responding to this year’s theme of Freespace, the exhibition Another Generosity explores the relationship between nature and the built environment, and how architecture can facilitate the creation of a world that supports the symbiotic coexistence of both. It seeks to create a spatial experience which heightens our awareness of our surroundings. Moreover, it is an attempt to foster dialogue, debate and criticism to help reveal new ways we can shape our world with another generosity. A generosity not just between humans, but between humans and nature.
Another Generosity explores a new structure that consists of a membrane holding two basic elements: air and water. The simple structures are combined to create a visible and dynamic cellular structure. The inflated elements mediate between the natural and built environment. They respond to external and sometimes unseen stimuli, creating a new kind of experience, a momentary hesitation that heightens our awareness of our surroundings.
“The geological impact of human activity is so pronounced that it has changed the behavior of our planet. This is the epoch of the anthropocene. Though the anthropocene may appear to mark the moment humans have come to overpower nature, it is also an opportunity to rethink the most fundamental relationship between our buildings and ecology. Architecture should be considered a tool for redefining the complete cycle of building, from its most basic components to its operating systems.”
