Highlights from Shaping the Cities Forum

The team at our exhibit in Venice

Rick’s part of the Climate Change and Resilience Panel

The ISTUDIOxWAAC team traveled to Venice to see our exhibit in October 2021 and also to hear Principal Rick Schneider, FAIA speak at the European Cultural Center’s Shaping Cities Forum. Rick was invited by the ECC to speak on the Climate Change and Resilient Cities Panel. The presenters included:

  • Moderator: Francesco Musco (Università IUAV di Venezia)

We spent about a week in Venice attending the conference, networking, and opened our minds to new and forward thinking ideas! We explored the Biennale Architecttura 2021’s Arsenal and Giardini, taking in the International Pavilions, exhibits, installations, and projects by architects and architecture students from all over the world. We especially enjoyed the Denmark Pavilion, which was all about water; they collected water from the roof to grow plants and then used some more water and the plants to brew tea for everyone who entered.

The city of Venice itself is a hub for the arts and culture. Everywhere we walked it felt like being in an art exhibit, and many buildings were turned into galleries for the Biennale. The food felt like an art too. Everything we ate and drank was full of the artistry that made up everything in the city.

We are so thankful that we were invited by the European Cultural Center to display our work during the Venice Architecture Biennale! This experience has been full of teamwork (between professionals and students, as well as between DC and Venice), forward thinking (especially surrounding Sea Level Rise), and unforgettable memories. What an amazing project, team, and trip.

Highlights from our trip!