PRESS RELEASE

Lithuanian Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition –
La Biennale di Venezia

Archi / Tree / tecture

Lithuanian Pavilion at Biennale Architettura 2025 presents the project “Archi / Tree / tecture” by the National Architects Association, setting up a space for reflection, inviting architects, students, communities and visitors to explore the underlying relationships within archi-facts and the urban nature.

In a geologically infinitesimal amount of time the landscape of a neighborhood can change radically, driven by massive investments in new development plans: century-old oak trees, which have withstood generations and give residents a sense of belonging to the place, are removed overnight leaving no traces. The loss of a neighborhood tree threatens to erase historical and collective memory, as well as the identity of the place itself.

"We invite you to rethink the existing and open up new ways of understanding architecture and society. At the core of our approach sits an idea where the living tree becomes a companion that inspires the architecture itself, protecting the existing ecosystem and preserving the continuity of local history," says the author and the curator.

According to the Curator, Gintaras Balčytis, by adopting new vocabularies, new interpretations emerge to describe the relationship between cities and the environment - these new meanings generate stimulating and original connections at every level of the cultural society.

"Architecture takes its place in this composition as an interpretive medium for the multi-layered symphony, and our cities thus become reflections of the energies that inhabit them. The "urban memory" accumulated over time now finds its roots, in an extended sense, where fields and trees once stood. The urban ecosystem evolved into a new, complex, hybrid entity. An empathetic approach to these issues, integrated into decision-making processes and discussions about the role of architecture, effectively supports a citizenry that is resilient to the changes imposed by the frantic pace of modern life and its inevitable erosion," says Balčytis.

According to Commissioner Dr. Jūratė Tutlytė, rooted in the history of its territory, where urban development has been closely intertwined with the relationship between architecture and the natural environment, even the smallest, often controversial, change, today deeply and painfully alters the historical and familiar urban environment for its inhabitants.

"Today, the act of cutting down trees in urban areas triggers instinctive massive protests among residents who express their dissatisfaction with changes in their environment, quality of life, deterioration of the urban climate, and loss of historical memory. The position of architects and their designs is crucial. That is why we are inviting the community to rethink the so-called progress and start alternative conversations," Commissioner Dr. Jūratė Tutlytė says.

"Archi / Tree / tecture" is sorted into three main sections. The exhibition begins with an installation of an uprooted tree stump, that acts as an emotional trigger, embodying the reality of what is lost - both physically and symbolically - when the roots that sustain life are severed. It also presents architectural models of late XX and XXI century projects inspired by the natural environment, particularly related to the area's greeneries. This section also explores sustainability in architecture as long-term integrity, harmonizing the conception of buildings with the new spaces they create. The experience is enriched by an audio-visual installation projected on a white cube that acts as a mediator between architecture, nature and human creation.

The Pavilion functions as an open space - comprising a cloud of ideas - that will evolve and foster an international dialogue among professionals, architects, researchers, and creatives from over a dozen European universities. The space will function as a transdisciplinary research laboratory, culminating in a public symposium that will take place from September 22nd to the 28th.

For more information, please contact:

Živilė Bilotaitė-Jokubauskienė
Project Communications Coordinator
zivile@3tm.lt
+370 688 84008

CCO Lithuanian Pavilion – 19th International Exhibition of – La Biennale di Venezia
Venue: Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Derelitti, Ospedaletto Complex, Barbaria delle Tole, Castello 6691, Venice
https://architree.lt