Chliean architect Alejandro Aravena has been appointed director of the 2016 Venice architecture biennale and curator of the fifteenth International Architecture Exhibition. Born in 1967, Aravena established Alejandro Aravena Architects in 1994, from 2000 until 2005 he was professor at Harvard University, where together with engineer Andres Iacobelli he founded the social housing initiative ELEMENTAL.
His awards include Design of the Year (London Design Museum, 2015), 1st Prize of Zumtobel Global Award (Austria, 2014), World Green Building Council Chairman’s Award (USA, 2014), the 1st Prize Index Award (Denmark, 2011), Silver Medal Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction (Switzerland, 2011), and Silver Lion at the eleventh International Architectudre Exhibition of the Venice Biennale (2008), the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture (France, 2007), the Erich Schelling Architecture Medal (Germany,2006) and the Bicentennial Medal for his contribution to the country’s development (Chile, 2004).
The Architecture Biennale runs from 28 May through 27 November 2016 (vernissage 26 and 27 May).
20 July 2015
