2016 Biennale: British pavilion

HOME ECONOMICS is the name of the British pavilion at the 15th International Architecture exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. It addresses contemporary issues of the home front, proposing a range of home environments around incremental amounts of time according to the varying amounts of occupancy.



The curators were chosen following an open call organised by the British Council and they invited emerging artists, architects and designers to produce immersive 1:1 environments that propose new models for the home. Five different rooms, designed around five incremental amounts of time they are used. 





I curatori, scelti dal British Council dopo un concorso, hanno a loro volta invitato architetti, designer e artisti emergenti a produrre degli ambienti in scala 1:1 che rispondono, appunto, alle nuove esigenze della società britannica. Sono nate così 5 ambientazioni divise in funzione dei periodi di tempo di utilizzo da parte delle persone. 



The exhibition begins with “HOURS – Own nothing, share everything”, a kind of shared, community room, with daybeds arranged in different configurations to tailor the space for work, rest and play. 
 



This is followed by “DAYS – Home is where the Wi-Fi is”. What more can you say about this definition? The digital portability of today's living space is symbolised here by two inflatable spheres where you can experience a familiar home away from home.



The third environment - “MONTHS – A house without housework” - proposes the perfect balance between privacy and sharing with a small, two-storey “totem” containing private spaces for sleeping, washing and cooking.



“YEARS – Space for living, not speculation” is a shell construction leaving only a roof, water, electricity, WC and basin - the parody of houses as they are proposed by greedy mortgage lenders to make the highest profit.



“DECADES – A room without functions” is defined by spatial conditions rather than functions - areas rather than specific rooms - with the flexibility to accommodate constantly changing needs.
Visitors are invited to cheerfully enjoy the future of the home, a very important front to explore as a profound mark of our routine lives.

Christiane Bürklein

British Pavilion
at the15th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia from 28 May to 27 November 2016 
Location: Giardini della Biennale, Venezia
Images: Courtesy of British Council
Find out more: http://design.britishcouncil.org/blog/2016/feb/23/home-economics-british-pavilion