The Architectural Association (AA) and Nigel Coates present Margherissima, a Special Project of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition realised by LaBiennale di Venezia inside the Polveriera Austriaca at the historic Forte Marghera, which proposes a vibrant new neighbourhood alongside the soaring silhouettes of heavy industry on the fringe of the Venetian lagoon. The Special Project presents a walk-through model that transforms this vast industrial hinterland into a new district for future citizens of a climate-conscious world.
This collaborative project is realised by AA students working alongside architect and curatorial lead Nigel Coates and a network of expert collaborators, responding to the theme of ‘Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.’ set by Biennale Architettura 2025 director Carlo Ratti.
The Venetian borough of Marghera is undergoing a gradual urban transformation in response to social and climatic change. Home to chemical refineries and an industrial port, it sits within the precarious saltwater ecosystem of the Venetian lagoon, an area under pressure from both rising sea levels and the depopulation of Venice’s historical centre. Amid efforts to deindustrialise Marghera, the project team at the AA has crafted a speculative proposal for a new piece of smart city that encourages collective living.
Margherissima articulates a vision for the parcel of contaminated wasteland known as I Pili, close to the Ponte della Libertà, proposing neither utopia nor suburb but instead a provocation to demonstrate how a city might be built around its occupants.
Nigel Coates, architect and curator of Margherissima, said: ‘This is a model in both senses of the word: a template for places under threat from rising sea levels and a giant model of Marghera as a social battery for the lagoon. It is a vision for a progressive place to live and one that could help to ensure the long-term survival of Venice and the entire lagoon. Could Marghera be a
beacon for cities around the world, especially those in danger of being consumed by their own success?’
Ingrid Schroder, Director of the AA, said: ‘Margherissima is a view of a possible future created through the most astonishing and generous collaboration between AA students across all parts of the school, our community of recent graduates and the wider AA family. It embodies the enduring collective imagination of the school, and the immense possibilities contained in the openness of our learning environment.’
Margherissima is curated by Nigel Coates Studio with installation design and realisation by (ab)Normal Studio. It will be accompanied by a programme of events and workshops taking place in a dedicated area in the Arsenale – more details to be announced.