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Architect Samantha Lamisa
The Venice Architecture Biennale, a biennial conference on architecture held in Venice, is a platform for the expression and understanding of architecture on a large scale. It is a global platform where architecture is presented and discussed on a large scale. Under the supervision of Italian scholar and architect Carlo Ratti, the theme of the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 has been set as: “Intelligens: Natural. Artificial. Collective.” The aim of this year’s edition is to rethink the future of architecture in the context of current global changes, with a special focus on sustainability and the role of architecture in addressing the challenges of climate change. In line with the theme “Intelligens: Natural. Artificial. Collective.”, the Spanish Pavilion of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale has selected “Internalities” as its central concept. |
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The exhibition is curated by two Spanish architects and educators, Roi Salgueiro and Manuel Bouzas. Roi Salgueiro is a Spanish architect and urban planner based in Boston. He teaches at the MIT Department of Architecture and also serves as the Curatorial Director of the Morningside Academy for Design. In addition, he is the co-editor of Obradoiro, the journal of the Official College of Architects of Galicia. Manuel Bouzas is a Spanish architect based in Galicia and New York. His work spans many areas, including architectural practice, teaching, curating, research, and publishing. He is a faculty member in the Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) Department at Cornell University and serves as a curator of the “Internality” exhibition. He is also a co-editor of Obradoiro, the journal of the Official College of Architects of Galicia. In 2025, he received the ‘Princess of Girona Arts Award’, presented by the Spanish Royal Family, in recognition of his contributions to the field. |
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Nature does not create waste, nor does it produce anything external. So, what would happen if architectural practice followed the same principle? |
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The Spanish Pavilion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 is built around a concept that has no fixed physical form - “Internalities.” The central idea is to explore how the structural and environmental impacts created during the architectural construction process can be reduced, particularly by minimizing carbon emissions. The concept of “Internalities” highlights key aspects of contemporary Spanish architectural practice, especially the ideas and work of the new generation of architects. At the same time, the main goal of this exhibition is to explore how a balance can be maintained between the environment and the economy. Their work is characterized by the use of local, renewable, and very low-carbon building materials. Materials such as wood, stone, and earth — and the natural sources they come from, like forests, minerals, and soil — have a strong connection to their architectural approach, which is clearly reflected in their work. |
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From Externality to Internality The simplest way to understand “internality” is to imagine it as the opposite of “externality.” The term externality was first introduced in 1920 by British economist Arthur Pigou. He used it to describe the indirect costs that are not directly included in the production of a product, yet still affect people and the environment. According to this definition, by-products, waste, and emissions are all forms of externalities — natural outcomes of regular production processes. Construction is one of the biggest examples of externality. Its impact is so significant that about 37% of global CO₂ emissions come from the construction sector. |
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In architecture, externality begins at several stages - when raw materials are extracted, when energy is used, and when waste is produced. These processes create an imbalance between the buildings we construct and the impact they leave on the environment. This imbalance is one of the major causes of today’s environmental crisis. Architect and educator Roi Salgueiro mentions that for this Biennale, architect Carlo Ratti asked each national pavilion to present one place and one solution. In this case, we are presenting our place - Spain, and our solution - “Internalities.” This is not an individual or personal solution; rather, it is a concept that shows how the new generation of Spanish architects is working in new and different ways. “Internalities” is an idea that expresses architectural thinking more clearly and more deeply than the general notion of sustainability.
The exhibition is designed around a central space, which acts as the introductory section of the entire pavilion. Surrounding this center are five rooms, each dedicated to exploring a specific research concept. The central room is called “Balance.” It features 16 recent architectural and landscape projects created by various studios across the Iberian Peninsula. These projects highlight ideas related to decarbonizing the construction sector and establishing regional balance. One of the most striking features of the exhibition is that each project is presented on a wooden structure shaped like a weighing scale. This scale-like design symbolically represents how each project contributes to maintaining environmental balance. |
Image: “Internality” exhibition |
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Each team displays two models. The first model shows the local context, including the geographical areas where the project is built. The second model is more detailed and focuses mainly on the construction system. Both models are placed on opposite sides of a large balance scale. The scale itself is also presented as a symbol of justice. Overall, the “Balance Room” illustrates how the challenges of environmental and social justice emerge within the idea of internality. It prompts viewers to reflect on the core purpose of architectural practice and how we can act responsibly toward our environment. |
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Roi Salgueiro and Manuel Bujas explain, “Whenever we create a place, we destroy something in return.” Every building and its surrounding environment are connected through a special material relationship. Ensuring that this relationship remains positive is the responsibility of architects. The central section of the exhibition brings this idea forward. The projects, research, and photography presented in the pavilion demonstrate how local, reusable, and low-carbon resources can be used. At the same time, they encourage us to think about how emissions can be reduced in every phase of architectural production — from material sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution to installation and reuse. |
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The exhibition also highlights resources such as wood, stone, and earth, along with the local ecosystems from which they come — forests, quarries, and soil. Alongside the central room, the exhibition is organized around five key concepts in Spanish architecture focusing on decarbonization: Materials, Energy, Labour, Residues, and Emissions.
These concepts are presented by teams of local architects and photographers, each working with the geography and resources of a specific region in Spain. The regions include the Cantabrian coast, the central metropolitan area, the Mediterranean region, the Balearic Islands, and the Atlantic coast. In each region, the five-member teams — consisting of architects, researchers, and photographers — collaborated to show how architecture adapts to its regional environment and how effective, replicable solutions for the future can be developed. |
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Another aspect of the exhibition is that each image or design is displayed directly on paper cardboard on the walls, without using any conventional frames. When curator Roi Salgueiro was asked about this choice, he explained:
"Thank you for noticing. For this exhibition, we used only materials made from trees. We specifically chose Galician pine because it comes from the forests of that region in Galicia, Spain, which have a unique type of reforestation. We sorted the trees according to their wood type, and the cardboard was made from that wood. In fact, all the materials in the exhibition are organic, and we intentionally avoided using other materials such as aluminum or plastic in order to stay in harmony with nature." |
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Architect and educator Manuel Bouzas advises young Bangladeshi architects that there are many opportunities to make an impact as an architect. He further explains that, in the context of Bangladesh, if you want to be conscious about construction methods, you need to ask questions and adjust your work accordingly. Your work should have a clear goal, such as reducing CO₂ emissions, and construction methods should be carefully adapted to achieve this. Currently, about 37% of global CO₂ emissions come from construction processes. He also points out that there are many other environmental and external constraints to consider. Whatever architecture or landscape design we create, we must keep these factors in mind. Finally, architects should also reflect on the social impact of their work.
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| Contributor: Ar. Faiza Fairooz |
