Türkiye

Are you an architect? Have you considered how much soil you have shaped or moved to date? Could the layers you have engaged hold the key to a more harmonious relationship with the Earth? Grounded highlights soil as a dynamic yet overlooked resource vital for understanding civilisations, ecosystems and sustainable living. Featuring soil from Türkiye, the exhibition reveals its diverse qualities through sensory experiences, scientific research and artistic interpretations.
Unlike architecture’s tendency to suppress earthiness in pursuit of controlled environments, Grounded places soil at the heart of the pavilion, presenting it as a living entity with intelligence and agency. Visitors engage with its texture, smell and sound, experiencing it as both an ecological system and a living archive of natural and human history.
Grounded also reflects on the impacts of human activities, such as construction, while exploring Türkiye’s rich heritage, archaeological sites and sustainable building practices. By merging vernacular techniques with contemporary innovations, the exhibition envisions architectural approaches that honour nature and culture, inspiring more harmonious ways of living.