Metropolis Digital Optimism Talks logo

Join us every second Tuesday of the month for a dose of optimism with thought-provoking guests who are revolutionizing their fields. Innovators will lead virtual workshops for an hour of discovery, inspiration, and community. Led by editor in chief, Avinash Rajagopal, these workshops will be guided by our audience, where questions are not only welcome but encouraged.

Register Now
natural habitat cold spring home exterior

Metropolis Editors, Natural Habitat, sustainability, sustainable architecture

METROPOLIS Introduces Natural Habitat, a Sustainable Homes Video Series

The series debuts with a tour of a tranquil upstate New York retreat designed with Passive House principles.

Read more
Courtesy “PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity” Co-Commissioners.Photograph by Timothy Hursley (Folsom, Alabama).

December 24, 2024

PORCH: An Invitation to Explore American Architecture at the Venice Biennale

The US Pavilion for the the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia invite us to reflect into a “quintessential American space”.

By: Metropolis Editors

The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas, in collaboration with Design Connects and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, has announced an open call for exhibit design proposals for PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity. This U.S. Pavilion exhibition will debut at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia in May 2025.

The theme, PORCH, reflects on the cultural and architectural significance of this quintessential American space—a meeting ground that is both intimate and communal, hospitable and democratic. It offers a lens through which to explore architecture’s capacity to connect people and address pressing challenges, including social cohesion and environmental resilience.

This year, PORCH aligns with the broader Biennale theme Intelligens: Natural. Artificial. Collective., curated by Carlo Ratti. The 2025 Biennale will highlight the intersection of architecture, innovation, and sustainability, underscored by its Circular Economy Manifesto. 

A Platform for Creativity and Collaboration

“The porch is a symbol of community, connection, and generosity—a place where American stories unfold,” said Peter MacKeith, Dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. “Through the contributions of exhibitors, PORCHwill showcase contemporary American design as a force for civic engagement, environmental adaptation, and social renewal.”

Susan Chin, founding principal of DesignConnects, emphasized the project’s inclusive spirit: “Like a big porch inviting the world in, this open call welcomes architects, artists, and designers from across the nation to share their vision. These interpretations—from urban stoops to rural verandas—promise to inspire new ideas and expand the narrative of American architecture.”

Curators Peter MacKeith, dean and professor of the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, Susan Chin, principal of DesignConnects, and Rod Bigelow, executive director of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. For release about: The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design, in partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and DesignConnects, has been selected by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs to commission, organize and curate the exhibition of the United States Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Rod Bigelow, executive director of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, added, “The porch plays a pivotal role in American life, serving as a stage for shared moments and storytelling. This exhibition will amplify these stories on an international stage, showcasing the diversity and creativity of American voices.”

The Pavilion invited influential architects and designers, including Marlon Blackwell, Stephen Burks, Julie Bargmann, and Maura Rockcastle to design a new temporary structure.  

Courtesy “PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity” Co-Commissioners.Photograph by Timothy Hursley (Folsom, Alabama).

How to Participate

The open call for submissions is open to architects, designers, artists, nonprofits, and public agencies across the United States and its territories. Projects must have been completed after 2000, and the final exhibition will feature at least 50 selected entries.

Key dates include:

  • Submission period: December 3, 2024, to January 17, 2025.
  • Announcement of participants: February 3, 2025.

Selected exhibitors will receive a stipend to further develop their proposals, which will be displayed at the U.S. Pavilion during the Biennale. A separate call for unbuilt and speculative projects from students and schools of architecture will launch in January 2025.

A Commitment to Sustainability

This year’s Biennale builds on its commitment to sustainability with the Circular Economy Manifesto, created in collaboration with Arup and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Participants are encouraged to embrace circular design principles, reducing waste and reimagining materials to ensure the exhibition leaves a lasting legacy of ecological harmony.

By focusing on the enduring American typology of the porch, PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity aims to foster a deeper understanding of architecture’s role in community building and environmental stewardship, setting the stage for a transformative experience at La Biennale di Venezia.

For more information or to submit your proposal, visit porchusavenice2025.org/open-call.

Would you like to comment on this article? Send your thoughts to: [email protected]

Latest