New Architecture Writers at La Biennale

Cindy recently returned from the Venice Biennale where she was one of four tutors of the fifth cohort of nine New Architecture Writers (NAW). They walked a lot, talked a lot, and drank spritz to cool off in the sweltering heat.

It was a joy to tutor alongside Tom Wilkinson, Thomas Aquilina and Ellis Woodman.

A highlight of the week was a seminar attended by Manon Mollard (editor of the Architecture Review) Alice Grandoit (editor of Deem), and Emmanuel Olunkwa (editor of Pin-Up), who generously gave their time to speak about the importance of writing in the world of architecture. Nana Biamah-Ofusu - a member of the second cohort of NAW - spoke about how writing is embedded in her practice. Nana is a tutor in Lesley Lokko’s ‘College’, the first time there has ever been an architecture college (up to now there have only been art colleges). President Roberto Cicutto and his team gave generously of their time too and made everyone feel very welcome.

Each member of the NAW cohort chose an aspect of the vast exhibition to write about and there was no shying away from the raw and current issues that the exhibition raises.

It was a thought-provoking and inspiring week, and a pleasure to be back in Venice with the Architecture Foundation and NAW at the invitation of the curator, taking in Lesley Lokko’s brilliant, challenging and prophetic exhibition. It’s hard to imagine what the next architecture Biennale will do to raise the bar above where Lesley has set it in 2023.