Article
The 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia represented one of the most significant moments in the international architectural landscape, offering a profound reflection on the future of building and living through the theme Intelli/Gens, curated by Carlo Ratti.
To relive this extraordinary edition, we created a video that takes the public on a journey through the Giardini pavilions, recounting the protagonists, ideas, and installations that characterized the event.
The journey leads to the Rolex Pavilion, one of the most emblematic projects of the Biennale, where light, matter, and intelligence interact in perfect balance. Designed by architect Mariam Issoufou Kamara, the pavilion sensitively interprets the relationship between tradition, craftsmanship, and sustainable innovation.
"I didn't design something and then look for the best artisans to make it; I did the exact opposite," said Mariam Issoufou Kamara during her visit to Vistosi and our furnace in April 2024, emphasizing the value of collaborating with local manufacturing excellence.

A distinctive element of the architecture is the striking glass ceiling that spans the entire pavilion: a contemporary reinterpretation of Rolex's aesthetic codes, designed to create a constant dialogue between light, material, and space. This extraordinary "glass sky," created thanks to a collaboration with one of Murano's historic glassworks, represents a perfect example of how artisanal expertise can be translated into a contemporary architectural language.
Each glass element, handcrafted using techniques passed down through generations, helps diffuse and refract natural light, transforming the roof into a dynamic surface capable of changing appearance throughout the day. The result is a living architecture, in which glass is not simply a construction material but becomes the protagonist of the perceptual experience, enhancing light as a design element.
A project that fully embodies the spirit of Intelli/Gens, demonstrating how innovation, sustainability, and tradition can coexist in a single design vision, where technological research is combined with masterful craftsmanship.
Once again, Rolex, Exclusive Partner and Official Timepiece of the Venice Biennale since 2014, has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting design excellence and a culture of responsible innovation. The pavilion has thus established itself as a meeting place for architecture, art, and manufacturing, capable of demonstrating the value of collaboration between designers and artisans and offering visitors an immersive experience where research, culture, and beauty merge into a single narrative.