Circularity Handbook, Special Project at the Biennale Architettura 2025

The 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia is scheduled to take place from May 10 to November 23, 2025. This year’s theme, “Intelligens: Natural, Artificial, Collective", presents a critical proposition for our ecological future: How can design enable the natural, artificial, and collective intelligence thrive together? Under the guidance of Chief Curator Carlo Ratti and his Circular Economy Manifesto, the Biennale aims to become the first to achieve a “zero-waste” exhibition, redefining the very notion of the architectural exhibition as a temporary space through a sustainable lens. Invited by Carlo Ratti, PILLS is participating in the Special Project of the Biennale Architettura 2025 with the research, writing, and design of the “Circularity Handbook” and its Spatial Installation. Positioned in the core area of the Arsenale, the work comprises two main components: The Circularity Handbook — a sustainability guide tailored for all participants of the Biennale; A spatial installation derived from the handbook — a modular, demountable structure that translates text into a tangible, immersive experience. Together, the two parts form a cohesive framework, exploring sustainable pathways across the full life-cycle of an exhibition. “Circularity Handbook” is the result of an interdisciplinary collaborative process between PILLS, Università Iuav di Venezia with Valeria Tatano and Massimiliano Condotta, typo_d, JIN ARTS, Archi-Neering-Design/AND Office, visual artist Xiaoqing Cui and Zhengwei Tang, Róng Design Library. The handbook serves as a practical guide, structured around four critical stages of an exhibition: design, construction, use phase, and end-of-life. For each stage, it poses essential questions and proposes actionable steps to encourage designers to challenge linear production models and embrace circularity. Case studies illustrate real-world applications, while an open online sheet invites contributors to share updates on local resources, such as material suppliers, manufacturers, and upcycling partners in Veneto. This evolving index aspires to become a community-driven resource for future exhibitions. Inspired by lifecycle philosophy and the form of pop-up books, this installation transforms the handbook’ s ideas into an immersive spatial experience. The main structure is foldable for efficient transport, minimizing both shipping costs and installation time, and is designed for full recyclability after the exhibition. Photovoltaic panels integrated into the rear provide energy for lighting and mechanical movement at the front, creating a closed-loop, self-sustaining system. The installation is both an interpretation and an extension of the handbook’s content. It unfolds chronologically from the center outward, spanning three historical periods that explore cycles of design and construction across varying technological contexts. The four quadrants of the circular layout correspond to the key questions examined in the handbook’s chapters, while the outermost ring showcases case studies and visions drawn directly from the text. An interactive ground projection decodes and visualizes the content of the outer ring, creating a dynamic link between the physical installation and the printed handbook. This project combines theoretical guidance and practical demonstration, showcasing that true circularity transcends material reuse, advocating for a systemic rethinking of how we design, build, and live sustainably.

Project Information Title: Circularity Handbook Coordinator: Zigeng Wang Participants: PILLS, JIN ARTS, typo_d, Archi-Neering-Design/AND Office, Róng Design Library, Valeria Tatano, Massimiliano Condotta, Xiaoqing Cui, Zhengwei Tang Lighting Design: HDA Shenzhen Handu Lighting Design Consultant Co. Interactive Multimedia Design: MOUJITI ART+TECH Construction: We Exhibit srl Transportation: Trojans Art Services Co., Ltd Supporters (listed in alphabetical order): Artron Art Group, COLORS, Guangdong Dongpeng Holdings Co., Ltd, JIN ARTS, SHIEHUR, SHYLON Optoelectronic Technology, Trojan Art Services Co., Ltd, LTD, Vanke Foundation Exhibition dates: Saturday 10 May to Sunday 23 November 2025 Venue: Arsenale, Biennale Architettura 2025