Bahrain Wins Golden Lion Award at Venice Architecture Biennale for “Sweating Assets”In a globally celebrated moment, Bahrain’s national pavilion “Sweating Assets” won the prestigious Golden Lion Award for Best National Participation at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. The announcement was made during the official awards ceremony held on Saturday in Venice, Italy.
The award was accepted by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities and Commissioner General of the pavilion, alongside key team members including Deputy Commissioner Engineer Noura Al Sayeh, curator Andrea Vargona, and pavilion director Batool Al Shaikh. This marks Bahrain’s second Golden Lion win, the first having been in 2010.
“This is a tremendous honor for the Kingdom of Bahrain,” said Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed. “We are grateful to La Biennale di Venezia for offering such a vital global platform that fosters the exchange of ideas and innovation. Our pavilion, Sweating Assets, addresses not only Bahrain’s environmental challenges but also those faced by the world. We aimed to spotlight these pressing issues through an innovative architectural lens,” he added, thanking the dedicated team for their outstanding contributions.
Pavilion curator Andrea Vargona expressed appreciation for the Kingdom’s support: “I extend my gratitude to Bahrain, the Authority for Culture and Antiquities, and the Biennale jury for their unwavering support. This recognition is a tribute to the collective effort of all contributors who helped bring this vision to life.”
Bahrain’s Sweating Assets pavilion, located in the historic Arsenale venue of the Biennale, is the country’s eighth participation in the global exhibition. The project aligns with this year’s overarching theme: “Intelligent, Natural, Industrial, Collective,” offering Bahrain’s architectural perspective on environmental and social challenges.
The pavilion presents a passive cooling system inspired by traditional Bahraini methods, addressing the growing threat of rising global temperatures. It proposes an architectural solution that enhances environmental adaptability and sustainability—particularly vital for regions increasingly affected by heatwaves.
The structure features a thermal well and solar chimney to channel ground moisture into outdoor air, demonstrating a practical and scalable model suitable for various urban settings. It also emphasizes the interplay between architecture, climate, and social justice.
The research behind the pavilion included contributions from a wide network of experts: Iman Ali, Abdullah Janahi, Alexander Buzarin, Caitlin Mueller, Eduardo Jackson Alvarez, Jonathan Brierley, Leila Al Shaikh, Latifa Al Khayyat, Leslie Norford, Maytham Al Mubarak, Maryam Al Jameeri, Mohammed Salem, Paris Pezanis, Viola Zhang, and Wafa Al Ghatam. The pavilion’s structural design was led by Alexander Buzarin and Mario Monotti.
The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities will also release a printed publication alongside the pavilion, featuring digital analyses, essays, and surveys to further expand the academic and practical impact of the project.
