The Salon Suisse 2018

An entertaining, reflective and stimulating way to complement a visit to La Biennale di Venezia over the second-half of its duration, the Salon Suisse offers a series of lectures, talks and cultural events running concomitantly to the Swiss Pavilion. 

Entitled En marge de l’architecture: Encounters beyond the discipline, the 2018 Salon Suisse had its inaugural soireé on May 24, during the preview week of the 16th Venice Architecture Biennale. Over three subsequent weekends in September, October and November, the Salon Suisse invites visitors to transdisciplinary talks with a wide range of participants. The discussions intend to provide a comprehensive image of the complex present we live in and to sketch the potentials of architecture in the 21st century. All the events start at the Palazzo Trevisan degli Ulivi in Zattere, Venice. 

Organised by Pro Helvetia, the programme is directed by selected Salonniers working across the fields of art and architecture. This year, architectural historian Marcel Bächtiger, cultural theorist Tim Kammasch, Venetian curator Laura Tinti, and architect Stanislas Zimmermann lead the programme, looking at architecture through the lens of its neighbouring disciplines and examining its cultural and social relevance today.

Thursday to Saturday, September 13–15
Reconsidering the cultural value of architecture

The Salon Suisse 2 proposes an encounter with philosophers and theorists to discuss various questions: Why is architecture a thorny subject for philosophical reflections? Or similarly, to what extent is philosophy relevant to the practice of architecture? But mostly, what does “cultural value” mean in terms of architecture today? How does architecture affect our everyday life and how does it interact with people? What testimony do literature-based discourses give in this regard and to what extent do they represent an enrichment of architectural theory? Finally, how is the imaginary in literature and film reflected in the practice of architectural design? These questions will be debated over three soirées and will be complemented by an exploration on a fishing boat that explores the Venetian lagoons, revisiting the history that inhabits them. 

Tuesday to Saturday, October 2–6
Investigating space as medium

Twenty years ago, the Bertelsmann Foundation’s report to the Club of Rome, “The Limits of Social Cohesion,” shed light on the potential sources of friction in nation states around the globe. Looking back at the report today, it reads as a prediction of the civil wars and social upheavals that have erupted worldwide. More than ever, the question of “how to live together?” by Roland Barthes has become of existential importance. Midway through the Salon Suisse’s journey, the programme welcomes guests from the fields of anthropology, sociology, art, photography and architecture who delve into the question of collective space, where our daily lives take place, forming discussions around modern social behaviours, as well as our perception of space and interactions with the built environment. The Salon Suisse 3 starts ahead of the weekend with two special explorations, followed by three soirées and a boat trip to Marghera Island on the outskirts of Venice.

Thursday to Saturday, November 22–24
Sailing into tomorrow—but how? 

For the final weekend, the Salon Suisse 4 turns its gaze to the future: What is the nature of the conditions, opportunities and dangers of the 21st century? What can we expect from Big Data and Artificial Intelligence? What does the “fourth industrial revolution” signify for both individuals and society? How will it change our everyday lives? To ensure the future does not remain techno-centric, the Salon Suisse 4 will reunite macro-sociologists and AI researchers with architects, artists, writers and architectural historians to unveil a contemporary culture that deserves to be called “humane”. This final edition of the Salon Suisse 2018 consists of three soirées and one exploration to take place on Campo Santa Margherita in the historic centre of Venice with the screening of a short-film.

Further details of the programme on biennials.ch