"Architecture is not about creating shelters or walls, but about creating spaces where people can dream and connect with the world." – Sverre Fehn
The Nordic Pavilion, within the Venice’s Giardini della Biennale, is a modern architectural icon that challenges and redefines Nordic traditions. Designed by Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn and completed in 1962, the pavilion was commissioned to represent Norway, Sweden, and Finland, encapsulating th eessence of Nordic aesthetics and philosophy.
Fehn’s approach was not to mimic the Nordic vernacular but to reinterpret it in the Venetian context. Departing from the heavy timber beams typical of Nordic construction, he used slender concrete lamellae, pigmented to remind of sunlight on snow. These lamellae, forming a layered brise-soleil, create a roof that acts as a light filter rather than a barrier. Fehn transformed the Mediterranean sunlight into a “Nordic” variation—soft, diffused, and shadowless. This architectural translation distills the light into an ethereal quality that is both tranquil and uniform, offering a serene environment for the pavilion’s original function as a gallery.
Rejecting traditional enclosed forms, Fehn removed two of the pavilion’s walls, embracing openness and integrating the structure with its surroundings. Rainwater is invited into the space, controlled by the roof’s design, creating a deliberate dialogue between architecture and nature. The grid-like floorplan, seemingly rigid, is disrupted by the presence of plane trees, which grow through carefully placed openings, their verticality punctuating the horizontal rhythm of the lamellae.
This orchestration of elements—roof, ground, wall, and tree—reflects Fehn’s broader architectural philosophy, inspired by his travels in Morocco and Italy. He saw buildings not merely as enclosures but as dynamic assemblages, shaped by light, context, and human interaction. Fehn’s use of materials—white cement, sand, and crushed Italian marble—further grounds the pavilion in its Venetian setting while maintaining a distinctly Nordic identity.
More than an assemblage of parts, the Nordic Pavilion embodies Fehn’s vision of architecture as a mediator between nature and culture. By reinterpreting Nordic light and tradition within the fragmented, lush context of the Giardini, Fehn created a timeless space that continues to captivate visitors, harmonizing innovation with an enduring sense of place.
The Nordic Pavilion, within the Venice’s Giardini della Biennale, is a modern architectural icon that challenges and redefines Nordic traditions. Designed by Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn and completed in 1962, the pavilion was commissioned to represent Norway, Sweden, and Finland, encapsulating th eessence of Nordic aesthetics and philosophy.
Fehn’s approach was not to mimic the Nordic vernacular but to reinterpret it in the Venetian context. Departing from the heavy timber beams typical of Nordic construction, he used slender concrete lamellae, pigmented to remind of sunlight on snow. These lamellae, forming a layered brise-soleil, create a roof that acts as a light filter rather than a barrier. Fehn transformed the Mediterranean sunlight into a “Nordic” variation—soft, diffused, and shadowless. This architectural translation distills the light into an ethereal quality that is both tranquil and uniform, offering a serene environment for the pavilion’s original function as a gallery.
Rejecting traditional enclosed forms, Fehn removed two of the pavilion’s walls, embracing openness and integrating the structure with its surroundings. Rainwater is invited into the space, controlled by the roof’s design, creating a deliberate dialogue between architecture and nature. The grid-like floorplan, seemingly rigid, is disrupted by the presence of plane trees, which grow through carefully placed openings, their verticality punctuating the horizontal rhythm of the lamellae.
This orchestration of elements—roof, ground, wall, and tree—reflects Fehn’s broader architectural philosophy, inspired by his travels in Morocco and Italy. He saw buildings not merely as enclosures but as dynamic assemblages, shaped by light, context, and human interaction. Fehn’s use of materials—white cement, sand, and crushed Italian marble—further grounds the pavilion in its Venetian setting while maintaining a distinctly Nordic identity.
More than an assemblage of parts, the Nordic Pavilion embodies Fehn’s vision of architecture as a mediator between nature and culture. By reinterpreting Nordic light and tradition within the fragmented, lush context of the Giardini, Fehn created a timeless space that continues to captivate visitors, harmonizing innovation with an enduring sense of place.
