Inside Heatwave, Bahrain's Golden Lion-winning pavilion at Venice Biennale

The space explores how architecture can respond to rising temperatures, with technology guided by wisdoms of the past

Heatwave is commissioned by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, president of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities. Photo: The National Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain

The National Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain has won the Golden Lion, the highest honour at the Venice Architecture Biennale. But even before the prize was announced, the pavilion was one of the busiest at the event.

Stepping inside offered an immediate shift – the air turned cooler – without using air conditioning, but a quieter and more deliberate cooling method.

Heatwave, the presentation on show at the pavilion, explores how architecture can respond to rising temperatures, with technology guided by wisdoms of the past. The geothermal cooling system on display draws from the techniques used in vernacular architecture from Bahrain and the wider Gulf. However, there is a degree of contemporary innovation applied as well.

It combines a geothermal well, which brings cool air from underground, as well as a solar chimney that expels the warm air out. These two forces are connected in what the designers call a “thermo-hygrometric axis” that creates a gentle, controlled climate inside the space – all without machinery.

Heatwave combines a geothermal well, which brings cool air from underground, as well as a solar chimney that expels the warm air out. Photo: The National Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain

Visitors to the space lounge on the sandbags arranged around the space, either idling on their phones, daydreaming to taking in the gridded steel ceiling. The rough, almost industrial nature of the scene is a soft contrast to the polished displays of nearby pavilions. And though it is full, a peacefulness permeates the space. It is, in every sense, a respite from the noise, the sun and the bustle outside.

This atmosphere is primarily what the pavilion is presenting with Heatwave. The presentation at Bahrain’s pavilion is subtle. It may even be underwhelming at first when you’re greeted by only sandbags encircling a bundle of pipes in the centre of the space. The elegance of the pavilion quickly becomes apparent as you become conscious and appreciative of what is being presented.

Heatwave is commissioned by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, president of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities. It is curated by architect Andrea Faraguna.

As digging wasn’t allowed at the Venice site, the team had to incorporate mechanical ventilation to mimic the natural airflow. The contraption draws cool air from the windows that overlook Venetian canals and then guided through a network of hidden ducts to gently regulate the temperature inside. This element won’t be necessary when Heatwave is built as intended.

The ideas behind the pavilion hold particular implications for the Gulf, especially in outdoor workspaces such as construction sites, where rising temperatures bring technical and humanitarian challenges.

Heatwave brings forth a solution with the modular, adaptable structures that offers shade and cooling. It is a case example of how thoughtful design can bring comfort and dignity to the people who build and maintain our cities.

The scenography gestures towards the often-invisible labour behind construction, underscoring how climate, architecture and social equity are interlinked. Photo: The National Pavilion of the Kingdom of Bahrain

This connection is evoked in an abstract yet evocative way through the sandbags and soil. The scenography gestures towards the often-invisible labour behind construction, underscoring how climate, architecture and social equity are interlinked.

There are plans to repurpose Heatwave once the biennale concludes in November. According to the exhibition’s literature: “One proposed site for its relocation is the Compagnia della Vela on the island of San Giorgio, where it could serve as a public cooling structure for visitors and residents, extending its impact beyond the temporal and spatial confines of the exhibition.

“During the summer, the water in Venice's canals maintains an average temperature of around 25 degrees Celsius, significantly cooler than the ambient air. By circulating air through a network of pipes submerged in the canal, the relocated pavilion could achieve a cooling effect similar to the Bahrain model, demonstrating the versatility of passive cooling strategies across different environments.”