The pavilion of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Culture and Education for the Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition has won a special mention among the award winners of the 19th edition of this event for ‘Opera Aperta’. The project proposes an important cultural space in a former hospital in Venice, a working and shared laboratory to restore the history of the Santa Maria Ausiliatrice Complex in Castello; a space that the Holy See will manage for 4 years, turning it into a cultural and creative center for the city.
The international team responsible for ‘Opera Aperta’ is led by Tatiana Bilbao Estudio and MAIO Architects, an architectural office in Barcelona and New York co-founded by Maria Charneco (Coordinator of the Space Area of the Bachelor in Design and Innovation at Elisava).
The project, curated by Marina Otero Verzier and Giovanna Zabotti, proposes repair as a radical act: one that extends beyond buildings to care for institutions, communities, ecosystems and the fragile links between them. In this context, MAIO has proposed an open spatial system to foster social and environmental interactions.
The resulting exhibition can be seen until November 23. Over the next six months, the project will breathe new life into the Complesso di Santa Maria Ausiliatrice di Castello. Located in the Venetian district of Castello, the building dates back to 1171, when it was founded as a hospice for pilgrims. It later became the oldest hospital in the historic center and was transformed in the 18th century to house a nursery, a school and a boarding house. In 2001, the town hall of Venice used it for cultural activities. It is now temporarily managed by the Holy See’s Dicastery for Culture and Education, which oversees its restoration as a lasting legacy for the city and its community.