Abulrahman and Turki Gazzaz represented Saudi Arabia for its inaugural architecture participation at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale, with the exhibition entitled Spaces in Between, curated by Jawaher Al Sudairy and Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman.
In response to the overarching theme of the Biennale Architettura 2018, Freespace, which its curators describe as “thinking applied to the space where we live, that we inhabit,” the Saudi pavilion considered the urban and social implications of five decades of rapid, oil-fueled, car-oriented development in Saudi Arabia.
The exhibition explored new possibilities for the utilisation of liminal spaces to increase socialization and community building within Saudi’s rapidly expanding cities. Over the past four decades, Saudi metropolitan centers have undergone rapid urbanization, with rural migration propelling built territories outwards. Settlement-driven growth has produced in many instances disjointed, mono-functional, car-dependent neighborhoods connected by highways. This reckoning of urbanization has emphasized the role design can play in shaping social life and rebuilding community. Saudi cities are seeking to steer development inward and repurpose empty lots into convivial public spaces that allow for walkability and human interaction. Such developments are directly transforming the architectural landscape of Saudi’s urban centers, as iconic structures rise on the skyline.
Commissioner: Misk Art Institute
