15. Mostra Internazionale di Architettura – #ThisIsACo-op

La Grecia presenta #ThisIsACo-op

Comunicato stampa

Titled Reporting from the Front and curated by the Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, the 15th International Architecture Exhibition has a social and political outlook, exploring the architect’s role in the quest to improve living conditions.

Community and Crisis

#ThisIsACo-op responds to the challenge of this year Architecture Biennale’stheme by highlighting the importance of collaboration, of joining forces, as an essential political proposition in order to deal with the multi-sidedcurrent crisis. Moreover, it investigates, processes and displays the multiple fronts of the crisis – the refugee crisis, the urban crisis, the defeat of the right to housing, the crisis hitting the architectural profession– all interdependent manifestations of the strategy for the depreciation of space as a common good.

#ThisIsACo-op is a collaborative experiment, an innovative, fresh exhibition proposal, an open, bottom-up workshop. The Greek Pavilion’s curatorial teamis made up of the Association members that responded to SADAS – PEA’s open call. A cooperative network was established and undertakes the implementation of all aspects of the Greek participationat the Biennale Architettura 2016, which, in addition to the exhibition, includes a series of participatory workshops and site-specific events.

Dialogue – Action – Research

The Greek Pavilion becomes a place for dialogue and action. #ThisIsACo-opis hosting discussions, encounters and events in an amphitheatrical structure that serves as a receptacle of dialogue and a symbol of participation and community. This will also serveas a reading room and a space for projections. The Greek Pavilion is a natural meeting place for architects, Associations, social movements and socially-minded individuals from Greece and the international community seeking solutions to the common fronts engendered by the crisis. It provides a space formobilizing collective architectural bodies, locally and internationally, as well as a place for developing claims and coordinating actions towards new participatory, democratic decision-making processes for the management of space and culture.

The events will be organized across a tripartite structure: Syneleusis (assembly) – Synergeia – Symbiosis. In addition the Greek participation will include a series of events in the city of Venice and in various parts of Greece which will be broadcasted in the pavilion. These events will be spread across the duration of 15th Exhibition.

Meanwhile, #ThisIsACo-op is a location forassembling existing archival material and collecting new resources. The Greek Pavilion constitutes an evolving research apparatus, a dynamic archive for displaying theoretical investigations, architectural proposals and research material by groups and collectives on how to cope with the crisis.On view are documentations of spaces for preserving and surviving, which have emerged in a Greece currently as we face a complex condition of displacement and isolation under emergency conditions. New inventive ways for providingad-hoc solutions to space-related issues caused by the crisis conditions are also documented.

The curatorial team of #ThisIsACo-op, the Greek participation to the Biennale, aspires to make an impact through a series of discussions, meetings, workshops and proposals, inviting the international architectural community and the public to be actively involved and collaborate.

Exhibitors: Afentouli Eirini, Anastasopoulos Nicholas, Avgitidou Angeliki, Balaoura Olga, Banos Symeon, Barkouta Yianna, Bitrou Mara, Bletsas Christos, Chandelis Stefanos, Chatziangelidis Pavlos, Christoulia Maria, Daflos Kostas, Dalampouras Thomas, Damala Andromachi, Danou Melpo, Deligiorgi Marissia, Diamantopoulou Ivi, Dima Lina, Demopoulos Panayiotis, Disli Eleftheria, Eleftheriou Loukas, Eleftheriadis Dimitrios, Filippidou Despoina, Fiorentzakis Vasileios, Gazepis Nikos, Georgakopoulou Foteini, Georgiadis Nikos, Gialia Valia, Giannisis Dimitris, Giannopoulos Iasonas-Anastasios, Gounaridis Konstantinos, Gounaridis Prodromos, Grevia Kiki, Grozopoulos Dimitrios, Gyftopoulou Stefania, Hari Hariklia, Hasa Elisavet, Iatrou Yvonne, Inetzi Sotiria, Kakogiannis Kostas, KallitsisPhevos, Karanastasi Elina, Karystinaiou-Εfthymiatou Ernestina, Kassola Maria, Katerini Tonia, Kazeros Nikos, KibeziZoi, Kontinou-Chimou Stefania, Kontiza Iakovina, KosmaAnthi, Kostaropoulou Myrto, Kotionis Zissis, Kottis Ioannis, Kotsari Georgia, Koumoundouros Panagiotis K., Kouros Panos, Koutsonanou Annita, Kyriazis Apostolos, Lada Sasa, LamprisDemetrios, Laoutaris Manos, Lavasa-Karapa Anna, Lazaris Andreas, Light art collective Beforelight, Lykourioti Iris, Lycourioti Leda, MamalakiPanagiota, Marinaki Konstantina, Maris Eleftherios, Mavrianos Vasileios, Mavridis Mary, Michail Nafsika, Minotakis Stylianos, Mitropoulos Yiannis, Mosse Stephania, Nikoloutsou Chrysi, Noukakis Yorgis, Panagiotopoulou Vassiliki, Panetsos Georgios A., Pangalos Panayotis, Pantazis Iason, Papadimas Giorgos, Papadopoulou Anastasia, Papadopoulou Dafni, Papagkikas Giorgos, Papanagiotou Nefeli, Paraskevopoulou Asimina, Petouri Eleni, Petra Mara, Petridis Pantelis, Platanioti Maria, PlavouVassiliki-Maria, Psallida Julie, Sapka Anna, Sapka Eirini-Dafni, Savvidis Konstantinos, Sereti Maria, Skopelitis Efstratios, Sofianou Sofia, Sotiropoulou Tzina, Spiliadi Marilli, Spiliotopoulou Athina, Spiotta Artemisia, Stais Prodromos, Stamataki Eftychi, Stavridis Stavros, Stylidis Iordanis, Theocharis Stavros, Theodoropoulos Chrysostomos, Theodorou Constantina, Thomopoulou Christina, Tossouni Konstantina, Totsikas Panos, Traganou Jilly, Travlou Penny, Tsagkaraki Evgenia, Tsakalidou Venetia, Tsakiridou Yiouli, Tsakiropoulos Irene, Tsalikidis Ioannis, Tsironi Natassa, Tsitouris Spyros, Tsonakas Vasilis, Tzevelekou Christina, Tzirtzilaki Eleni, Valsamidis Alexandros, Vasilopoulou Parina, Vatavali Fereniki, Verteouri Anastasia, Virirakis Lefteris, Vogiatzaki Dimitra, Vyzoviti Sophia, Xenaki Maria, Zachariadi Alexandra, Zitonoulis Vaios, Zografou Dafn.