13th Architecture Biennale Venice – Live and Green, Chile.

“Cancha: Chilean Soilscapes”. The Chilean pavilion, curated by María Pilar Pinchart and Bernardo Valdés, is presented as an environmental installation that gives visitors direct experience with the Chilean soil. The Tarapacá salt creates a floor that brings in the country’s natural resources – and not only that - to Venice



Seven Chilean architects were invited to present seven personal approaches to the architectural meaning of the Chilean territory. Their ideas began from a common starting point – the current social change happening in Chile.



The exhibition title is interesting in itself: Cancha. This is the pre-Hispanic Quechuan term used to refer to an empty space where it is possible to create ties with the land and between people. Making it the Chilean equivalent to Common Ground, in its territorial form.



A Pictorial Atlas was chosen for its presentation. Each picture is accompanied by a documentary video of the architecture by photographer and filmmaker, Cristóbal Palma.



A neon sculpture by Iván Navarro and Pedro Puldio depicts the Cancha logo at the entrance, inviting visitors to discover this measured, emotionally inspiring space, open to new perspectives of Chilean architecture.



13th International Architecture Exhibition, Venice, http://www.labiennale.org
Dates: 29th August to 25th November 2012.
Title: Cancha: Chilean Soilscape
Architects:  Pedro Alonso, Alejandro Aravena (Elemental), Juan Pablo Corvalán (Susuka), Genaro Cuadro, Germán del Sol, Iván Ivelic and Rodrigo Tisi
Artists: Iván Navarro, Pedro Pulido
Curators: María Pilar Pinchart and Bernardo Valdés
Commissioner: Cristóbal Molina Baeza, National Council of Culture and the Arts of Chile, http://www.cultura.gob.cl/
Photography and Filmmaking: Cristóbal Palma, photos 1-4 courtesy Cristóbal Palma
Link: http://www.canchachile.cl/, Videos: http://vimeo.com/channels/canchachile