by Dr Susan Mains BEM, Commissioner
The island nation of Grenada proudly announces its first participation as an official National Pavilion in the Biennale Architettura 2021.
This comes after 3 consecutive appearances of the Biennale Arte in 2015, 2017, and 2019. The 17th International Architectural Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia will open to the public on 22 May 2021 in Venice, Italy.
The Commissioner Dr Susan Mains BEM, along with the former Minister of Culture, Senator the Honourable Norland Cox have chosen Grenadian architect Bryan Bullen to present the project of the completed new Grenada Parliament Building. The curators of the Pavilion appointed by the Ministry of Culture are the collective of Babau Bureau comprised of Marco Ballarin, Stefano Tornieri, and Massimo Triches.
The title of the Grenada Pavilion, COethos, fits very well with the overarching theme of the curator Hashim Sarkis, “How will we live together?”. A video will be the main feature of the pavilion, highlighting the building process and thoughts of the architect Bryan Bullen in the design and construction of the new Parliament Building. Accompanying the video, peristyle columns that mimic thosle around the Parliament building will contain text that explores other areas of needed regeneration of Grenada’s architecture and possibilities for the future of the city of St George’s. A team of people has assisted Bullen in this endeavour.
Bullen said that he presents “A vision to re-inject public life into the urban space of the town’s harbour and realisation of the Grenada House of Parliament are examined in relation to sustainability, commercial viability, resilience to natural disasters and changes in the global ecology.”
Collaborators with Bullen are Architect Irina Kostka, Michael Julien, Sharon Bidasee, and Dr Angus Friday, Grenada’s former Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations.
As a result of the pandemic, the opening of the Grenada Pavilion will be virtual. You can join the YouTube presentation at the link from 20 May at 9 am Grenada time, 3 pm Venice, Italy time. Please see the preview at www.grenadavenice.org
