13th Biennale of Venice 2012
TRACES OF CENTURIES AND FUTURE STEPS


location: Italy, Venice

This collection of pictures represent the experimental project made in the office of “bozin szekely architects” for the
international event of the Venice Biennale 2012, organised at Palazzo Bembo. The colatereal event was named Traces of
Centuries and Future Steps and it was ment to show current developments and thoughts in international architecture. An
international group of architects with different cultural backgrounds and who are in different stages of their careers,
established architects next to architects whose works might be less known. What they have in common is their dedication
to architecture in the broadest sense of their profession. The exhibition was organized by the Global Art Affairs Foundation.

The expression of architecture, today, must be clear and simple to understand. The presentation of a project must adapt to the
current requirements. These requirements are modelled and established by the society. By analysing the experiences we had so far,
we realise a more comprehensive architecture project is needed. So the question is how can we adapt the way we present our work
to current requirements? To make it simple we named some essential tools, architects use to transmit what they have in mind:
plans, sections, facades, 3d. This should be enough to present an idea. How can an architect show in the same time all the plans,
sections, facades, 3d’s without confusing, boring or scare the visitor? In order to clarify this issue we took a simple example.
If we visit a museum and we find ourselves in front of a torso, we can explore it in seconds. First you see the general shape,
than you understand what it is and in the end you see all the details. It captures you step by step. The equivalent of the torso
in architecture is a 3d model. It helps you to understand a project but we still need the help of the drawings for additions.
What if we could summarise everything in one sculptural object? The models that we present are an experiment of how to create a
single object that can explain an entire architectural project. It is a sequence of 3d models placed on every side of a geometrical
shape (resulted from the abstract geometry of the project) representing 3d plans, sections and facades. They are placed in relation
to each other in order to have a better perception of the interior spaces as well as of the exterior volumes. The aim of this kind of
representation is to answer all questions that may appear and give a better perception of the project. For such a complex desire we
had to use a material like concrete. Not only because it is the only material that would permit us to realize such complexity but also
because of the lost image, we wanted to recreate for it. The discovery of “opus caementitium” by the Romans and the successful use in
spectacular architecture examples such as the Pantheon, determined us to defend the image concrete used to have. It is unbelievable
how by misusing a material can change its image through the years. The texture, stability and malleability offered to us can help to
express the complexity of an architectural project by modelling a unique shape. That shape has the power to explain everything.



design: 2012

project status: built

type: exposition

photo: bozin szekely architects

images: bozin szekely architects

with: Lab Process

special thanks to: SIKA, Romania