Switzerland

“Endgültige Form wird von der Architektin am Bau bestimmt.” (“Final form will be defined by the archi- tect on site”) is the guiding principle of the curators, inviting visitors to take part in building an exhibition. The group of four architects — Elena Chiavi, Kathrin Füglister, Amy Perkins and Myriam Uzor — behind the project, works with embedded artist Axelle Stiefel to explore the legacy of Lisbeth Sachs (1914–2002), one of the first women architects in Switzerland. Sachs, a contemporary of Bruno Giacometti, designed the Kunsthalle for the 1958 Swiss Exhibition for Women’s Work (SAFFA) in Zurich. The curators revive Sachs’ short-lived Kunsthalle in the Giardini, where Giacometti’s Pavilion is located. The juxtaposition of the two pavilions creates a playful and dynamic design, inviting visitors to experience architecture as a living, evolving space. The intervention breaks boundaries between inside and outside, transforming the space into a multi-sensory experience.
A sound installation further enhances the exhibition, introducing recordings from the field. These sounds give life to the space and invite visitors to listen and engage, turning the Swiss Pavilion into a shared, participatory experience that reflects on inclusivity, history, and the act of building.