Iceland’s National Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale Explores Lava as Sustainable Building Material
Iceland has announced its National Pavilion for the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, presenting Lavaforming, a project led by architect Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, founder of s.ap architects. This pavilion, commissioned by Iceland Design and Architecture, will showcase an innovative approach to creating sustainable building materials from controlled lava flows.
Lavaforming explores Iceland’s unique geological conditions, positioned between tectonic plates that result in frequent volcanic activity and vast lava fields. Instead of viewing this natural force as a destructive event, Lavaforming envisions harnessing it as a renewable resource for the construction industry. The concept imagines a future where lava flows could form the foundational material for buildings, drastically reducing environmental impact by eliminating harmful mining practices and utilizing the power of nature itself.
Lavaforming is seen as a forward-thinking initiative rooted in Iceland’s legacy of harnessing natural resources, much like the country’s geothermal energy development centuries ago. The Icelandic Pavilion marks the country’s inaugural open call at the Biennale, highlighting Iceland’s commitment to innovative and sustainable design solutions on the global stage. The pavilion will be supported by Iceland Design and Architecture, reinforcing the significance of design in shaping Iceland’s future.
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The goal of Lavaforming is to redefine architecture’s role in sustainability and innovation, demonstrating that lava can become a versatile and sustainable building material. This is both a practical proposal and a paradigm shift for architecture, pushing us to reconsider materials and methods that have long-lasting impacts. — Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, project’s curator and creative director.
Pálmadóttir’s work is well-regarded for its interdisciplinary and circular approach to architecture, with a focus on using recyclable and sustainable materials. She leads both s.ap architects in Iceland and the Icelandic branch of Danish architecture firm Lendager, underscoring her dedication to sustainable development across the Nordic region. Her team, along with various collaborators, will bring Lavaforming to life at the Icelandic Pavilion in Venice in May 2025.
In other similar news, The National Pavilion UAE has announced that Azza Aboualam, an Emirati architect and Assistant Professor at Zayed University, has been appointed as the curator for the UAE’s participation in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition. The 19th International Architecture Exhibition will focus on the intersection of natural and artificial intelligence, exploring how these forms can help address global challenges such as climate change. In fact, Carlo Ratti has been appointed as the curator of the 2025 Venice Biennale, with the theme “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.”
We invite you to check out ArchDaily’s comprehensive coverage of the 2025 Venice Biennale.
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