Karin Sander and Philip Ursprung are to represent Switzerland at the 18th International Architecture Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia, with their project titled Neighbours.

Two national pavilions and a wall that connects as well as separates, are the focus of Karin Sander's and Philip Ursprung's project  Neighbors  for the 18th International Architecture Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia. By turning the architecture itself into the exhibit, the artist and the architecture historian introduce the audience to new perspectives on the territorial relations within the Giardini of La Biennale.

After an open call, the  Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia  has chosen to entrust the exhibition of the Swiss Pavilion for the Biennale Architettura 2023 to the artist Karin Sander and the architecture historian Philip Ursprung. Their project  Neighbors  highlights both the spatial and structural proximity of the Swiss Pavilion to its Venezuelan neighbor and the professional bond of the two architects: the Swiss Bruno Giacometti (1907-2012) and the Italian Carlo Scarpa (1906-1978).

The Swiss Pavilion designed by Bruno Giacometti opened just over 70 years ago, in June 1952. In the immediate vicinity, the Venezuelan Pavilion designed by Carlo Scarpa took shape four years later. Since the old plane trees on either lot weren't allowed to be felled, the architects designed their buildings around the protected trees. The walls, roofs, and exterior areas of their buildings meet at the closest distance.

Find out more about the project in the press release.

Media moment: On Friday, 19 May at 11.00 CET there will be a dedicated media moment at the Swiss Pavilion, where Karin Sander and Philip Ursprung will present the exhibition. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A section. For RSVPs please e-mail zeynep@picklespr.com