NEW YORK (TURKISH JOURNAL) – By Janet Ekstract – Turkey will debut what promises to be one of the most eclectic and interesting pavilions at this year’s 16th annual Venice Architectural Biennale, slated to open on May 26.
The exhibition entitled, “The Shift,” also known in Turkish as “Vardiya” – was conceived by well known architect and lecturer, Kerem Piker, founder of Kerem Piker Architecture (KPM) and was selected out of 31 projects submitted for exhibit at the Turkish Pavilion. The exhibition, organized and coordinated by the İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) was selected due to its authentic spatial construction coupled with its dynamic, interactive process design.
To synchronize with this year’s Architecture Biennale theme of Freespace – the Turkish Pavilion is dedicated to Piker’s flexible layout design, that was conceived, based on the concept of open space where a continuous dialogue, revolving around the contemporary culture of architecture and its core importance throughout the world, can take place.
Piker’s focus relies on showcasing a unique spatial configuration for hosting public events within a platform consisting of virtual discussion, interactive video and live meet and greet, between a diverse group of international speakers and students to be hosted in shifts by IKSV throughout the six-month Venice Architecture Biennale.
The goal is for undergraduate and graduate architecture students to participate in the workshop programs while contributing to architectural production through the use of diverse media. Close to 500 students from 29 different countries and 70 cities worldwide, are scheduled to participate in the interactive video project that revolves around how architecture affects lives and directs questions about the purpose of an architectural biennale.
This unique pavilion promises to be a true ‘think outside the box’ experience and as its main curator, Piker commented: “Structure is a box that is increasingly repeated and being remodeled as well as renewing itself.” This unusual exhibition is seen as an opportunity to view the concept of contemporary architecture from a new perspective, to make new discoveries and to allow architectural students to network with a multitude of professionals within their field.
As Piker and his curator team shared, there is a real desire for environments that place a priority on architectural wisdom that is reproduced, shared and commented on – where the voices of current contributors can be heard. The organizers added that since this exhibition is one of the premier exhibitions in the world – the Paviliion of Turkey can be utilized as an area for assembly and a place where new paths can be forged while new trends in manufacturing can be showcased.
Piker, who will be curating the exhibition along with five assistant curators, founded his firm in Istanbul, in 2011 and was voted one of “The Best 40 Architects Under The Age of 40 in Europe” by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design. He has also won many architectural competitions in Turkey and abroad. Assistant curators include: Cansu Curgen, Yelta Kom, Nizam Onur Sonmez, Yagiz Soylev and Erdem Tuzun.
This year’s Turkey Pavilion sponsors include Schuco Turkey, who are a recognized German construction company known for their innovative, modern technology, original architectural and environmentally sound building design while VitrA is a well known contemporary Swiss furniture design firm known for their unique furniture styles. Other major sponsors include Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey.
The Pavilion of Turkey is located at Sale D’Armi, Arsenale one of the vital major venues of the Biennale. The Pavilion of Turkey first opened at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition, of the Venice Biennale in 2014 with a 20-year allotment of the Arsenale location and IKSV through the contributions of 21 donors.
