As part of the International Architecture Exhibition of the Biennale di Venezia 2025, the design studio of Alberto Alessi and Barbara Ruech at the University of Liechtenstein organised the Biennale Sessions under the title “Taking Care of Care”. The event in the Sala d’Armi, Arsenale brought together contributions from artists, architects and researchers, who presented their work in a series of talks: Hannes Brunner (Zurich–Berlin, in cooperation with the University of Zurich) with “The Ketchup-Boat. A Restitution Reconsidered.”, Alice Doro (board member of the Ecomuseo dei Lazzaretti Veneziani) with “The Lazzaretto Nuovo. Reloading the Island”, Prof. Dr. Ludovica Galeazzo (University of Padua) with “The VeNiss Project. Mapping the Lagoon”, Paolo Rosso (Artistic Director, Venice) with “The Microclima Programme. An Interactive Research”, Dr Britta Hentschel with “Healing Architecture” and Prof. Dr Daniel Stockhammer with “Reuse in Architecture” (University of Liechtenstein, LSA, Head Built Heritage and Upcycling Unit). Students from the University of Liechtenstein and the University of Zurich, as well as Biennale visitors, took an active part in this exchange.

The aim was to offer impulses for thought and reflections on CARE as an architectural attitude: to observe attentively, to preserve, and to continue building responsibly. The Biennale Sessions brought different perspectives together and opened up a discourse on a conscious approach to the built heritage.

To conclude, a boat took all participants and speakers directly from the Biennale Sessions to Lazzaretto Nuovo, where students from the University of Liechtenstein presented their Empathic Recordings in a performative format, followed by a shared aperitif.

The Liechtenstein contribution to the Biennale Sessions 2025 was made possible through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Environment and Culture of the Government of Liechtenstein.

Photos: Barbara Lydia Ruech and Alberto Alessi