"As sea levels rise and extreme weather events increase, water is no longer a distant threat but an immediate design condition. Rather than resisting it, these projects look at how architecture can coexist with, adapt to, and even regenerate through natural forces. Together, they suggest a shift toward working with the elements, acknowledging water not as a limit to construction but as an active participant in shaping future environments."
"The Biorock Pavilion proposes growing architecture directly in seawater through mineral accretion, while Coding Plants imagines an artificial reef and living kelp archive as a new kind of biological infrastructure. Meanwhile, Building Amphibious Natures focuses on wetland restoration in and around the Venice Lagoon, showing how design can support ecological regeneration. Cultivating in Shallow Waters revisits the saltworks of Messolonghi in Greece as a model for productive coexistence between humans and aquatic systems."
"Other works, such as Hope on Water and Ocean City, explore adaptable and resilient structures that can function on land or water, and Sea Oasis introduces AI-driven tools for marine restoration through 3D-printed oyster reefs. Seen together, these projects highlight an emerging focus on how architecture can operate within fluid environments and contribute to the balance between human and ecological systems."
Architectural projects at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale reconceive water as an immediate design condition driven by sea level rise and extreme weather. Designers propose strategies that work with water to adapt, coexist, and regenerate natural systems. Techniques include mineral accretion to grow architecture in seawater, artificial reefs and kelp archives as biological infrastructure, wetland restoration in the Venice Lagoon, and revitalizing saltworks as productive aquatic landscapes. Proposals also explore amphibious and floating structures and AI-assisted marine restoration through 3D-printed oyster reefs. Together, these approaches emphasize fluid-environment design that balances human needs with ecological resilience.
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