10 visioni per il domani

25/09/2024

With the theme of this edition, the Biennial has decided to focus on visions. The call was made to gather new ideas for the future. A simple theme, but with a high potential for people, especially young people, to look at tomorrow and try to interpret what the future really means to them. The result is a unique blend of artistic expression, community engagement and forward-thinking ideas that explore different themes.

Borders and Connections, two standout projects reimagine the spaces that divide and unite us. "Border-crossing" transforms the border of a park into a space of gathering by placing a striking 2x8m wood table, inviting people to meet at what was once a dividing line. "At the tone, the time will be…" reintroduces the nostalgic telephone booth, turning it into a portal to different eras, where visitors can experience a magical journey through soundscapes of the past.

Ecology and Sustainability is represented through projects that focus on our relationship with nature and time. "Looping Wreath" invites participants to engage with the environment by creating temporary furniture from hay and green waste, emphasizing the deep entanglement between human life and nature’s cycles. In "Punto di Rugiada," an installation that mimics the rhythmic process of dew collection, offers a moment of contemplation on the slow, cyclical processes of nature that often go unnoticed in our fast-paced world.

Under Alternative Narratives, artists explore hidden realities and reimagine city life. "Soil portraits" uses soil chromatography to create visual portraits of the ground beneath Villa Saroli, revealing unseen ecological dynamics. Meanwhile, "Transhumance" brings an unexpected procession of animals through urban spaces, challenging traditional ideas of city planning and questioning the rigid separation between human and animal habitats.

Community and Performance is a key focus of the Biennale, with projects like "Bake to the Future," which revives communal bread-making traditions through a nomadic, modular installation. This project not only highlights the evolution of community building but also fosters connections through a shared, hands-on experience. "Gypsotechno" presents a performance where architectural competition models made from gypsum are destroyed and reused, turning creative loss into new forms of expression.

Imagining Futures invites us to rethink urban spaces and the possibilities they hold. "Recording Utopias" features a mobile radio studio where participants are encouraged to discuss their visions for future urban planning, gathering collective dreams through radiowalks. "Notti Future" transforms Lugano’s urban parking lots at night into vibrant performance spaces, where the ordinary becomes a canvas for imagining new futures.

Through these ten projects, the Biennale Svizzera del Territorio 2024 offers an opportunity to reflect on the present while creatively reimagining the future. 

Some of these calls can be joined and some offers workshops, discover them all in our program and write to  info@i2a.ch to participate. We can't wait for you to join us in these shared visions !