To grow, we must forget… but now AI remembers everythingAI’s infinite memory could endanger how we think, grow, and imagine. And we can do something about it.Photo by Laura Fuhrman on UnsplashWhen Mary remembered too muchImagine your best friend — we’ll call her Mary — had perfect, infallible memory.At first, it feels wonderful. She remembers your favorite dishes, obscure movie quotes, even that exact shade of sweater you casually admired months ago. Dinner plans are effortless: “Booked us Giorgio’s again, your favorite — truffle ravioli and Cabernet, like last time,” Mary smiled warmly.But gradually, things become less appealing. Your attempts at variety or exploring something new are gently brushed aside: “Heard about that new sushi place, should we try it?” you suggest. Mary hesitates, “Remember last year? You said sushi wasn’t really your thing. Giorgio’s is safe. Why risk it?”Conversations start to feel repetitive, your identity locked to a cached version of yourself. Mary constantly cites your past preferences as proof of who you still are. The longer this goes on, the smaller your world feels… and comfort begins to curdle into confinement.Now, picture Mary isn’t human, but your personalized AI assistant.A new mode of hyper-personalizationWith OpenAI’s new memory upgrade, ChatGPT can now recall everything you’ve ever shared with it, indefinitely. Similarly, Google has opened the context window with “Infini-attention,” letting large language models (LLMs) reference infinite inputs with zero memory loss. And in consumer-facing tools like ChatGPT or Gemini, this now means persistent, personalized memory across conversations, unless you manually intervene.https://medium.com/media/f1f7978fb8d63f7a1e9f52f051808f44/hrefThe sales pitch is seductively simple: less friction, more relevance. Conversations that feel like continuity: “Systems that get to know you over your life,” as Sam Altman writes on X. Technology, finally, that meets you where you are.In the age of hyper-personalization — of the TikTok For You page, Spotify Wrapped, and Netflix Your Next Watch — a conversational AI product that remembers everything about you feels perfectly, perhaps dangerously, natural.Netflix “knows us.” And we’re conditioned to expect conversational AI to do the same.Forgetting, then, begins to look like a flaw. A failure to retain. A bug in the code. Especially in our own lives, we treat memory loss as a tragedy, clinging to photo albums and cloud backups to preserve what time tries to erase.But what if human forgetting is not a bug, but a feature? And what happens when we build machines that don’t forget, but are now helping shape the human minds that do?Forgetting is a feature of human memory“Infinite memory” runs against the very grain of what it means to be human. Cognitive science and evolutionary biology tell us that forgetting isn’t a design flaw, but a survival advantage. Our brains are not built to store everything. They’re built to let go: to blur the past, to misremember just enough to move forward.Our brains don’t archive data. They encode approximations. Memory is probabilistic, reconstructive, and inherently lossy. We misremember not because we’re broken, but because it makes us adaptable. Memory compresses and abstracts experience into usable shortcuts, heuristics that help us act fast, not recall perfectly.Evolution didn’t optimize our brains to store the past in high fidelity; it optimized us to survive the present. In early humans, remembering too much could be fatal: a brain caught up recalling a saber-tooth tiger’s precise location or exact color would hesitate, but a brain that knows riverbank = danger can act fast.Image generated by ChatGPT.This is why forgetting is essential to survival. Selective forgetting helps us prioritize the relevant, discard the outdated, and stay flexible in changing environments. It prevents us from becoming trapped by obsolete patterns or overwhelmed by noise.And it’s not passive decay. Neuroscience shows that forgetting is an active process: the brain regulates what to retrieve and what to suppress, clearing mental space to absorb new information. In his TED talk, neuroscientist Richard Morris describes the forgetting process as “the hippocampus doing its job… as it clears the desktop of your mind so that you’re ready for the next day to take in new information.”https://medium.com/media/e272064dd59f29c4ca35e808d39e4e72/hrefCrucially, this mental flexibility isn’t just for processing the past; forgetting allows us to imagine the future. Memory’s malleability gives us the ability to simulate, to envision, to choose differently next time. What we lose in accuracy, we gain in possibility.So when we ask why humans forget, the answer isn’t just functional. It’s existential. If we remembered everything, we wouldn’t be more intelligent. We’d still be standing at the riverbank, paralyzed by the precision of memories that no longer serve us.When forgetting is a “flaw” in AI memoryWhere nature embraced forgetting as a survival strategy, we now engineer machines that retain everything: your past prompts, preferences, corrections, and confessions.What sounds like a convenience, digital companions that “know you,” can quietly become a constraint. Unlike human memory, which fades and adapts, infinite memory stores information with fidelity and permanence. And as memory-equipped LLMs respond, they increasingly draw on a preserved version of you, even if that version is six months old and irrelevant.Sound familiar?This pattern of behavior reinforcement closely mirrors the personalization logic driving platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Extensive research has shown how these platforms amplify existing preferences, narrow user perspectives, and reduce exposure to new, challenging ideas — a phenomenon known as filter bubbles or echo chambers.Positive feedback loops are the engine of recommendation algorithms like TikTok, Netflix, and Spotify. From Medium.These feedback loops, optimized for engagement rather than novelty or growth, have been linked to documented consequences including ideological polarization, misinformation spread, and decreased critical thinking.Now, this same personalization logic is moving inward: from your feed to your conversations, and from what you consume to how you think.“Echo chamber to end all echo chambers”Just as the TikTok For You page algorithm predicts your next dopamine hit, memory-enabled LLMs predict and reinforce conversational patterns that align closely with your past behavior, keeping you comfortable inside your bubble of views and preferences.Jordan Gibbs, writing on the dangers of ChatGPT, notes that conversational AI is an “echo chamber to end all echo chambers.” Gibbs points out how even harmless-seeming positive reinforcement can quietly reshape user perceptions and restrict creative or critical thinking.Jordan Gibb’s conversation with ChatGPT from Medium.In one example, ChatGPT responds to Gibb’s claim of being one of the best chess players in the world not with skepticism or critical inquiry, but with encouragement and validation, highlighting how easily LLMs affirm bold, unverified assertions.And with infinite memory enabled, this is no longer a one-off interaction: the personal data point that, “You are one of the very best chess players in the world, ” risks becoming a fixed truth the model reflexively returns to, until your delusion, once tossed out in passing, becomes a cornerstone of your digital self. Not because it’s accurate, but because it was remembered, reinforced, and never challenged.When memory becomes fixed, identity becomes recursive. As we saw with our friend Mary, infinite memory doesn’t just remember our past; it nudges us to repeat it. And while the reinforcement may feel benign, personalized, or even comforting, the history of filter bubbles and echo chambers suggests that this kind of pattern replication rarely leaves room for transformation.What we lose when nothing is lostWhat begins as personalization can quietly become entrapment, not through control, but through familiarity. And in that familiarity, we begin to lose something essential: not just variety, but the very conditions that make change possible.Research in cognitive and developmental psychology shows that stepping outside one’s comfort zone is essential for growth, resilience, and adaptation. Yet, infinite-memory LLM systems, much like personalization algorithms, are engineered explicitly for comfort. They wrap users in a cocoon of sameness by continuously repeating familiar conversational patterns, reinforcing existing user preferences and biases, and avoiding content or ideas that might challenge or discomfort the user.Hyper-personalization traps us in a “comfort cocoon” that prevents from growing and transforming. From Earth.comWhile this engineered comfort may boost short-term satisfaction, its long-term effects are troubling. It replaces the discomfort necessary for cognitive growth with repetitive familiarity, effectively transforming your cognitive gym into a lazy river. Rather than stretching cognitive and emotional capacities, infinite-memory systems risk stagnating them, creating a psychological landscape devoid of intellectual curiosity and resilience.So, how do we break free from this? If the risks of infinite memory are clear, the path forward must be just as intentional. We must design LLM systems that don’t just remember, but also know when and why to forget.How we design to forgetIf the danger of infinite memory lies in its ability to trap us in our past, then the antidote must be rooted in intentional forgetting — systems that forget wisely, adaptively, and in ways aligned with human growth. But building such systems requires action across levels — from the people who use them to those who design and develop them.For users: reclaim agency over your digital selfJust as we now expect to “manage cookies” on websites, toggling consent checkboxes or adjusting ad settings, we may soon expect to manage our digital selves within LLM memory interfaces. But where cookies govern how our data is collected and used by entities, memory in conversational AI turns that data inward. Personal data is not just pipelines for targeted ads; they’re conversational mirrors, actively shaping how we think, remember, and express who we are. The stakes are higher.Memory-equipped LLMs like ChatGPT already offer tools for this. You can review what it remembers about you by going to Settings > Personalization > Memory > Manage. You can delete what’s outdated, refine what’s imprecise, and add what actually matters to who you are now. If something no longer reflects you, remove it. If something feels off, reframe it. If something is sensitive or exploratory, switch to a temporary chat and leave no trace.You can manage and disable memory within ChatGPT by visiting Settings > Personalization.You can also pause or disable memory entirely. Don’t be afraid to do it. There’s a quiet power in the clean slate: a freedom to experiment, shift, and show up as someone new.Guide the memory, don’t leave it ambient. Offer core memories that represent the direction you’re heading, not just the footprints you left behind.For UX designers: design for revision, not just retentionReclaiming memory is a personal act. But shaping how memory behaves in AI products is design decision. Infinite memory isn’t just a technical upgrade; it’s a cognitive interface. And UX designers are now curating the mental architecture of how people evolve, or get stuck.Forget “opt in” or “opt out.” Memory management shouldn’t live in buried toggles or forgotten settings menus. It should be active, visible, and intuitive: a first-class feature, not an afterthought. Users need interfaces that not only show what the system remembers, but also how those memories are shaping what they see, hear, and get suggested. Not just visibility, but influence tracing.ChatGPT’s current memory interface enables users to manage memories, but it is static and database-like.While ChatGPT’s memory UI offers user control over their memories, it reads like a black-and-white database: out or in. Instead of treating memory as a static archive, we should design it as a living layer, structured more like a sketchpad than a ledger: flexible and revisable. All of this is hypothetical, but here’s what it could look like:Memory Review Moments: Built-in check-ins that ask, “You haven’t referenced this in a while — keep, revise, or forget?” Like Rocket Money nudging you to review subscriptions, the system becomes a gentle co-editor, helping surface outdated or ambiguous context before it quietly reshapes future behavior.Time-Aware Metadata: Memories don’t age equally. Show users when something was last used, how often it comes up, or whether it’s quietly steering suggestions. Just like Spotify highlights “recently played,” memory interfaces could offer temporal context that makes stored data feel navigable and self-aware.Memory Tiers: Not all information deserves equal weight. Let users tag “Core Memories” that persist until manually removed, and set others as short-term or provisional — notes that decay unless reaffirmed.Inline Memory Controls: Bring memory into the flow of conversation. Imagine typing, and a quiet note appears: “This suggestion draws on your July planning — still accurate?” Like version history in Figma or comment nudges in Google Docs, these lightweight moments let users edit memory without switching contexts.Expiration Dates & Sunset Notices: Some memories should come with lifespans. Let users set expiration dates — “forget this in 30 days unless I say otherwise.” Like calendar events or temporary access links, this makes forgetting a designed act, not a technical gap.Image a Miro-like memory board where users could prioritize, annotate, and link memories.Sketchpad Interfaces: Finally, break free from the checkbox UI. Imagine memory as a visual canvas: clusters of ideas, color-coded threads, ephemeral notes. A place to link thoughts, add context, tag relevance. Think Miro meets Pinterest for your digital identity, a space that mirrors how we actually think, shift, and remember.When designers build memory this way, they create more than tools. They create mirrors with context, systems that grow with us instead of holding us still.For AI developers: engineer forgetting as a featureTo truly support transformation, UX needs infrastructure. The design must be backed by technical memory systems that are fluid, flexible, and capable of letting go. And that responsibility falls to developers: not just to build tools for remembering, but to engineer forgetting as a core function.This is the heart of my piece: we can’t talk about user agency, growth, or identity without addressing how memory works under the hood. Forgetting must be built into the LLM system itself, not as a failsafe, but as a feature.One promising approach, called adaptive forgetting, mimics how humans let go of unnecessary details while retaining important patterns and concepts. Researchers demonstrate that when LLMs periodically erase and retrain parts of their memory, especially early layers that store word associations, they become better at picking up new languages, adapting to new tasks, and doing so with less data and computing power.Photo by Valentin Tkach for Quanta MagazineAnother more accessible path forward is in Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). A new method called SynapticRAG, inspired by the brain’s natural timing and memory mechanisms, adds a sense of temporality to AI memory. Models recall information not just based on content, but also on when it happened. Just like our brains prioritize recent memories, this method scores and updates AI memories based on both their relevance and relevance, allowing it to retrieve more meaningful, diverse, and context-rich information. Testing showed that this time-aware system outperforms traditional memory tools in multilingual conversations by up to 14.66% in accuracy, while also avoiding redundant or outdated responses.Together, adaptive forgetting and biologically inspired memory retrieval point toward a more human kind of AI: systems that learn continuously, update flexibly, and interact in ways that feel less like digital tape recorders and more like thoughtful, evolving collaborators.To grow, we must choose to forgetSo the pieces are all here: the architectural tools, the memory systems, the design patterns. We’ve shown that it’s technically possible for AI to forget. But the question isn’t just whether we can. It’s whether we will.Of course, not all AI systems need to forget. In high-stakes domains — medicine, law, scientific research — perfect recall can be life-saving. However, this essay is about a different kind of AI: the kind we bring into our daily lives. The ones we turn to for brainstorming, emotional support, writing help, or even casual companionship. These are the systems that assist us, observe us, and remember us. And if left unchecked, they may start to define us.We’ve already seen what happens when algorithms optimize for comfort. What begins as personalization becomes repetition. Sameness. Polarization. Now that logic is turning inward: no longer just curating our feeds, but shaping our conversations, our habits of thought, our sense of self. But we don’t have to follow the same path.We can build LLM systems that don’t just remember us, but help us evolve. Systems that challenge us to break patterns, to imagine differently, to change. Not to preserve who we were, but to make space for who we might yet become, just as our ancestors did.Not with perfect memory, but with the courage to forget.To grow, we must forget… but AI remembers everything was originally published in UX Collective on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Jennifer Meyer always knew she wanted to work in fashion. It probably comes, she says, from the hours she spent in her grandmother’s Santa Monica, California, apartment, playing with art supplies, and the small kiln her grandmother kept on the kitchen counter. “She did a lot of enameling,” says Meyer, an LA-based jewelry designer. “She had all of these colors and plaques to put things on; wiring. I would design things with her for fun; I have this love of design from her.”  Still, as the daughter of an entertainment executive, Meyer didn’t really have a road map for a career in design. She completed her education on the East Coast, studying child and family psychology, and landed her first job in magazines, which she ultimately parlayed to PR jobs at Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren. “I wanted to start my own thing,” says Meyer. “I had this idea for jewelry, but I had no idea how to do it.”  In 2005, Meyer made some basic sketches—her first a riff on a leaf design—and began knocking on doors, armed with equal parts curiosity and tenacity. So began the launch of her line, Jennifer Meyer Jewelry. Now, 20 years later, Meyer describes herself as self-taught. She’s leveraged her love of the natural world and her instincts for a simple, unfussy aesthetic to guide a business that’s become as popular with Jennifer Aniston and Meghan Markle as millennials and suburban fortysomethings.  If the door said jeweler, I knocked on it. I knew nothing. It was trial and error. I had a bad sketch of a leaf on paper. I had no clue what I was doing—which, by the way, as I look back was the best way to learn. I made a few pieces, and that’s how I understood what I was doing.   There is a Star Wars quote, “Do or do not; there is no try.” I started in 2005. My boyfriend at the time, who became my husband, said, “What do you want to do?” I said, ”I don’t know.” He said, “That’s a lie; Everybody wants a thing and we’re embarrassed to say it. You think you’re too old, or too young. What do you want to do? Act? Write? Work for NASA? It can be anything.” He said, “You have to say it out loud.” I said, “I want to design jewelry. I don’t know how to do it.”   When I started, I was doing everything from designing to FedEx. I was alone, and I did it all. I have such an amazing group of people I work with now. Now it’s shorthand: We can have one quick conversation and say, “Hey do you remember the leaf with the baguette diamonds?”  I like when things feel organized. When I walk into a room and I know where everything is . . . organization is inspiring to me.  As a business owner, I’m available 24/7. I don’t care what time you text me, I don’t care what time you call or email me. If it’s 11 p.m. on a Saturday and you work with me and you said, “Jen, do you have five minutes?” I have five minutes. Unless I’m sound asleep, other than that I am available. I do, though, [I] still think it’s important to set boundaries to make you feel good, but I don’t have a boundary with my time.  I love a reminder. When someone says, “Just bumping this to the top of your emails. Or, hey, making sure you did this.” You cannot bug me. It is the greatest feeling in the world. Bother me until it’s finished.  I always get up by 7 a.m. I always make sure my kids are fed and out the door. They drive now, which is such a weird thing. I love to work out and I go to bed thinking about my coffee. I drink decaf. I used to have really bad panic attacks. They were debilitating. If I’m drinking caffeine first thing, that’s not good for anybody. I always have a book with me. Everything is written down. I have to write it down and I have to take a highlighter to it. That is it for me. That’s how I do things. When people have notes on their phones, it gives me hives.  Being creative is throwing it all out there, making mistakes and making it your own. How many times have you looked at something and thought, “I would never wear that, what is that? No.” And then, somehow six months later you’re around it enough and you see that woman whose aesthetic you love and you’re like, “I get it now.”  Hard work pays off. You have got to develop those relationships; you have to sit with people and get to know their wives and children and husbands. You have to get in there and spend the time and energy and the focus and you have to develop the same aesthetic, which is really challenging. Everyone has their own idea of how things should be made. It’s a lot of working together and explaining yourself and being clear. You talk about boundaries. Those that are the boundaries that are important. Clarity is kindness. I grew up going to art galleries with my dad. He loved going to galleries. I remember I was like 8 years old and he bought this art and it was on our wall. It was literally a green and blue triangle—nothing else. Half was blue and half was green. I remember saying to him, “What is that? I could have done that.” He looked at me and said, “But you didn’t.” It never left my head. That artist did it and thought of it and created it. It was easy for me to have a 10-minute opinion, but I didn’t do it. I was like, “He’s damn right.”

Whether you’re heading to this year’s Biennale, planning a future visit, or simply daydreaming about Venice, this guide—contributed by Hamilton-based architect Bill Curran—offers insights and ideas for exploring the canal-crossed city. Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go. – Truman Capote Venice is my mystical addiction and I soon will make my 26th trip there, always for about 10 days or more. I keep getting asked why, and asked by other architects to share what to do and what to see. Only Italo Calvino could have reimagined (in ‘Invisible Cities’) such a magical, unique place, a water-born gem forged from 120 islands linked by 400 bridges and beset by a crazy-quilt medieval street and canal pattern. Abstract, dancing light forms dappling off water, the distinct automobile-less quiet. La Serenissima, The Most Serene One. Most buildings along the Grand Canal were warehouses with the family home above on the piano nobile floor above, and servant apartments above that in the attics, in a sea-faring nation state of global traders and merchants like Marco Polo. Uniquely built on a foundation of 1,000-year-old wood pilings, its uneven, wonky buildings have forged a rich place in history, literature and movies: Joseph Brodsky’s Watermark, Hemingway’s Across the River and into the Trees, Don’t Look Now starring Donald Sutherland, Mann’s Death in Venice, The Comfort of Strangers with Christopher Walken, Henry James’ The Wings of the Dove and The Aspern Papers, Kate Hepburn’s ‘Summertime. Yes, yes, Ruskin’s Stones of Venice is an option, as are Merchant of Venice and Casanova. Palazzo Querini Stampalia (Venice): Photo via Wikipedia THE MODERN ARCHITECTURE OF VENICE Much of Venetian life is lived in centuries-old buildings, with a crushing post-war recession leaving it preserved in amber for decades until the mass tourists found it. Now somewhat relieved of at least the cruise ship daytrippers, it is a reasonable place again, except maybe in peak summer. The weight of history, a conservatism for preservation and post-war anti-Americanism led to architectural stagnation. So there are few new, modern buildings, mostly on the edges, and some fine interior interventions, mostly invisible. For modern architecture enthusiasts Venice is a challenge. Carlo Scarpa (Giardini, Venise) – Photo via Wikipedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license Here is what modern architects should see: Carlo Scarpa‘s Must-See Works: Go see any of Scarpa’s interventions, demonstrating his mastery of detailing, materials, joinery and his approach to blending with existing fabric. He is Italy’s organicist, their Frank Lloyd Wright, and they even worked together (on the Masieri Foundation). Negozio Olivetti: The tiny former Olivetti typewriter showroom enfronting Piazza San Marco is perhaps the most wonderful of his works. It is open now to visit as a heritage museum. ”God is in the details”; Scarpa carefully considered every detail, material and connection. Le magasin Olivetti de Carlo Scarpa (Venise). Photo via Wikipedia. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license The Fondazione Querini Stampalia is a must see, a renovated palazzo with ground floor exhibit spaces with tidewater allowed to rise up inside in one area you bridge across. The former entrance bridge is a lovely gem of exquisite detailing, rendered obsolete by a meh renovation by Mario Botta. A MUST is to have a coffee or prosecco in Scarpa’s garden and see the craft and detail of its amazing water feature. The original palazzo rooms are a lovely semi-public library inhabited by uni students; sign up as a member on-line for free. Walk up the spiral stair. The entry gate to the UIAV Architecture School in Campo Tolentini  is an unexpected wonder. A brutalist yet crisply detailed sliding concrete and steel gate, a sculpted concrete lychgate, then an ancient doorway placed on the lawn as a basin. Main Gate of the Tolentini building headquarters of Iuav university of Venice designed by Carlo Scarpa. Photo via Wikipedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license OTHER MODERN ARCHITECTURE TO SEE: Minimalist Dave Chipperfield expanded an area of suede-like concrete columbariums on the St. Michele cemetery island. Sublime. Extra points if you can find the tomb Scarpa designed nearby. The Ponte della Costituzione (English: Constitution Bridge) is the fourth bridge over the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. It was designed by Santiago Calatrava. (Image via: Wikipedia) Calatrava’s Ponte della Constituzione bridge is an elegant, springing gazelle over the entrance to the Grand Central. But the glass steps are slippery and are being replaced soon, and the City is suing Calatrava, oops. The barrier-free lift pod died soon after opening. It is lovely though.   Le Canal della Giudecca, la Punta della Dogana, la basilique Santa Maria della Salute de Venise et le Canal Grande à Venise (Italie). Photo via Wikipedia Tadao Ando’s Punte Della Dognana museum is large, with sublime, super-minimalist, steel and glass and velvety exposed concrete interventions, while his Palazzo Grassi Museum was more restoration. A little known fact is that Ando used Scarpa’s lovely woven basketweave metal gate design in homage. An important hidden gem is the Teatrino Grassi behind the Museum, a small but fabulous, spatially dramatic theatre that often has events, a must-see! Fondaco dei Tedeschi: At the foot of Rialto Bridge and renovated by Rem Koolhaas, this former German trading post had been transformed into a luxury shopping mall but closed last month, a financial failure. Graced with a stunning atrium and a not well know fabulous rooftop viewing terrace, its future is now uncertain. The atrium bar is by Phillipe Starck and is cool. Try it just in case. Fondaco dei Tedeschi. Photo via Wikipedia Procuratie Vecchie: This iconic 16th storey building is one of Piazza San Marco’s defining buildings, and David Chipperfield’s restoration and renovation of this building, which defines Piazza San Marco, is all about preservation with a few modern, minimalist interventions. It operates as a Biennale exhibit space. Infill housing on former industrial sites on Guidecca Island includes several interesting new developments called the Fregnans, IACP and Junghans sites (look for fine small apartments such as by Cino Zucchi that reinterpret traditional Venetian apartment language). A small site called Campo di Marte includes side-by-sides by Alvaro Siza (disappointing), Aldo Rossi and Carlo Aymonino (ho hum); some day there will be a Rafael Moneo on the empty lot.     View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Denton Corker Marshall (@dentoncorkermarshall) AT THE BIENNALE: At the Biennale grounds there is much to see, with the only recent project the Australia Pavilion by Denton Corker, a black granite box hovering along a canal. Famous buildings include the Nordic Pavilion (Sven Ferre), Venezuela Pavilion (Carlo Scarpa), Finland Pavilion (Alvar Aalto), former Ticket Booth (Carlo Scarpa), Giardino dell Sculture (Carlo Scarpa), Bookstore (James Stirling) and there are some fab modern interiors inside the old boat factory buildings. Canada’s Pavilion by the Milan firm BBPR (don’t ask why) from 1956 is awkward, weird and much loathed by artists and curators. Le pavillon des pays nordiques (Giardini, Venise). Photo via Wikipedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license. Just outside the Biennale on the Zattere waterfront is a stirring Monument to the Women Partisans of WWII, laid in the water by Augusto Maurer over a simple stepped-base designed by Scarpa. Venezia – Complesso monastico di San Giorgio Maggiore. Photo via Wikipedia,  licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. BEYOND THE BIENNALE The Vatican Chapels: In 2018 the Vatican decided to participate in the Biennale for the first time for some reason and commissioned ten architects to design chapels that are located in a wooded area on the Venetian island of San Giorgio Maggiore, behind Palladio’s church. The architects include Norman Foster, Eduardo Souto de Moura, and Smiljan Radic, and includes The Asplund Pavilion, like the Woodland Chapel  that inspired it. It is intended as a “place of orientation, encounter, meditation, and salutation.” The 10 chapels each symbolize one of the Ten Commandments, and offer 10 unique interpretations of the original Woodland Chapel; many are open air. These are fab and make you think! Chiese San Giorgio Maggiore was designed by Palladio and is fine. But its bell tower offers magnificent city views and avoids the long lines, crowds and costs of Piazza San Marco’s Campanile. Next to San Giorgio you should tour the Cini Foundation, with an amazing stair by Longhera, the modern Monica Lunga Library (Michele De Lucchi) and a lovely Borges-inspired labyrinth garden. Behind San Giorgio en route to the Chapels is the Museo del Vetro (Glass Museum) and the fabulous Le Stanze della Fotografia (contemporary photography gallery) featuring a Mapplethorpe retrospective this year. (If you’re visiting this year, join me in Piazza San Marco on July 7, 2025, for his ex Patti Smith’s concert.) An unknown MUST DO is a concert in the stunning Auditorium Lo Squero (Cattaruzza Millosevich), with but 200 comfy seats in an adapted boat workshop with a stage wall of glass onto the lagoon and the Venitian cityscape. La Fenice Opera House in Venice, Italy. Image via: Wikipedia La Fenice Opera House: after burning down in 1996, Aldo Rossi supervised the rebuilding, more or less ‘as it was, as it is’, the Italian heritage cop-out. There is no Rossi to see here, but it is a lovely grand hall. Book a concert with private box seats. Venice Marco Polo Airport is definitely Aldo Rossi-inspired in its language, materials and colours. The ‘Gateway Terminal’ boat bus and taxi dock is a true grand gateway (see note about Gehry having designed an unbuilt option below). Venice Marco Polo airport. Photo via Wikipedia HIDDEN GEMS Fondazione Vendova by Renzo Piano features automated displays of huge paintings by a local abstract modernist moving about a wonderful huge open warehouse and around viewers. Bizarre and fascinating. Massimo Scolari was a colleague or Rossi’s and is a brilliant, Rationalist visionary and painter, renown to those of us devotees of the Scarpa/Rossi/Scolari cult in the 1980’s. His ‘Wings’ sculpture is a large scale artwork motif from his drawings now perched on the roof of the UIAV School of Architecture, and from the 1991 Biennale. Do yourself a favour, dear reader, look up his work. Krier, Duany and the New Urbanists took note. He reminds me of the 1920s Italian Futurists. You can tour all the fine old churches you want, but only one matters to me: Santa Maria dei Miracoli, a barrel-vaulted, marble and wood-roofed confection. San Nicolo dei Mendicoli is admittedly pretty fab, and featured in ‘Don’t Look Now’.  And the Basilica of Santa Maria Assunta on Torcello has an amazing mosaic floor, very unusual stone slab window shutters (and is near Locanda Cipriani for a wonderful garden lunch, where Hemingway sat and wrote). For the Scarpiani: There is a courtroom, the Manilo Capitolo, inside the Venice Civic Tribunale building in the Rialto Market that was renovated by Scarpa, and is amazing in its detail, including furniture and furnishings. You have to pass security to get in, and wait until court ends if on. It is worth it! The Aula Mario Baratto is a large classroom in a Palazzo overlooking the Grand Canal designed by Carlo Scarpa with amazing wood details and furniture. The room has stunning frescoes also. You can book a tour through Universite Ca’ Foscari. The view at a bend in the Grand Canal is stunning, and you can see the Fondazione Masieri (Scarpa renovation) building off to the left across the side canal (see Missed Opportunities). Within the Accademia Galleries and Correr Museum are a number of small renovations, stairs and art stands designed by Scarpa. Next to the Chiesa di San Sebastino decorated by Veronese is the Scarpa entrance to a linguistics library for the Universita Ca’ Foscari. Fondation W – Wilmotte & Associés: A French architect who is not shy and presumably rather wealthy runs his own exhibition space focused on architecture; ‘…it is both a laboratory and shop window…’,  so one of those. Worth a look. There is a recent Courthouse that is sleek, long, narrow, black and compelling on the north side of Piazzalle Roma, but I have not yet wandered in.   FOOD AND DRINKS FOR ARCHITECTS Philippe Starck’s lobby bar at the Palazzina Grassi hotel is the only cool, mod bar in town. Wow! Ask the barman to see the secret Krug Room and use the PG bar’s unique selfie washroom. I love this bar: old, new, electic. Also, Starck has a house on Burano, next to the pescheria (sorry, useless ephemera). He wants you to drop by. Restaurant Algiubagiò is the only cool, modern restaurant and it has fab food. It also has a great terrace over the water. Go! Zanze XVI is a nice clean mod interior and Michelin food. Worth it. Ristorante Lineadombra: A lovely, crisp modern interior and crisp modern Venetian food. A great terrace on the water also. Local Venice is a newer, clean, crisp resto with ‘interesting’ prices. Your call. Osteria Alla Bifora, while in a traditional workshop space, is a clean open loft, adorned modernly with a lovely array of industrial and historic relics. It is a lovely bar with charcuterie and a patio on the buzzy campo for students. Great for late night. Cicchetti are Venetian tapas, a standard lunch you must try. All’ Arco near Rialto has excellent nouveau food and 50m away is the lovely old school Do Mori. Osteria Al Squero in Dorsoduro overlooks one of the last working gondola workshops, and 100m away is the great Cantino del Vino già Schiavi. Basegò has creative, nouveau cichetti. Drinks on a patio along the Grand Canal can only be had economically at Taverna al Remer, or in Campo Erberia at Nanzaria, Bancogira, Al Pesador or Osteria Al Cichetteria. Avoid any place around Rialto Bridge except these. El Sbarlefo San Pantalon has a Scarpa vibe and a hip, young crowd. There is a Banksy 50’ away. Ristorante Venissa is a short bridge from Burano to Mazzorbo island, a Michelin-starred delight set in its own vineyard.   Since restaurant design cannot tie you up here, try some fab local joints: Trattoria Anzolo Raffaele : The owner’s wife is from Montreal, which is something. A favorite! Pietra Rossa: A fab, smart place with a hidden garden run by a hip, fun young restauranteur, Andrea. Ask for the Canadian architect discount. Oste Mauro Lorenzon : An entertaining wine and charcuterie bar run by the hip young restauranteur’s larger than life father, and nearby. Mauro is a true iconoclast. Only open evenings and I dare you to hang there late. Anice Stellato: A great family run spot, especially for fish. Excellent food always. La Colonna Ristorante: A nice, neighbourhood joint hidden in a small campo. Il Paradiso Perduto: A very lively joint with good food and, rarely in Venice, music. Buzzy and fun. Busa da Lele: Great neighbourhood joint on Murano in a lovely Campo. Trattoria Da Romano: Best local joint on Burano. Starck hangs here, as did Bourdain.   Cafes: Bacaro aea Pescaria is at the corner by Campo de la Becarie. Tiny, but run by lovely guys who cater to pescaria staff. Stand outside with a prosecco and watch the market street theatre. Extra points if you come by for a late night drink. Bar ai Artisti is my second fav café, in Campo S. Barnaba facing where Kate Hepburn splashed into the canal. Real, fab pastries, great terrace in Campo too. Café at Querini Stampalia: get a free visit to Scarpa’s garden and wander it with a coffee or prosecco. Make sure to see the bookstore also (and the Scarpa exhibition hall adjacent). Carlo Scarpa à la Fondation Querini Stampalia (Venise). Photo via Wikipedia, A lesser known place is the nice café in the Biennale Office next to Hotel Monaco, called Ombra del Leone. The café in the Galleria Internationale d’Arte Moderna Ca’ Pesaro is great with a terrace on the Grand Canal.   Cocktail bars: Retro Venezia: Cool, retro vibe. The owner’s wife dated a Canadian hockey player. You must know him. Il Mercante: A fabulous cocktail bar. Go. Time Social Bar:  Another cool cocktail bar. Vero Vino: A fab wine bar where you can sit along a canal. Many good restaurants nearby! Arts Bar Venice: If you must have a cocktail with a compelling story, and are ok with a $45 pricetag. Claims Scarpa design influence, I say no. But read the cocktail stories, they are smart and are named for artists including Scarpa. Bar Longhi in in the Gritti Hotel is a classic, although cheesey to me. Hemingway liked it. It has a Grand Canal terrace. The Hilton Stucky Hotel is a fabulous former flour factory from when they built plants to look like castles, but now has a bland, soulless Hilton interior like you are in Dayton. But it has a rooftop bar and terrace with amazing sunset views! While traditional, the stunning, ornate lobby, atrium and main stair of the Hotel Danieli are a must-see. Have a drink in the lobby bar by the piano player some evening.   STAYING MODERN Palazzina Grassi is the only modern hotel in Venice, with a really lovely, unique lobby/bar/restaurant all done by Philippe Starck. At least see the fab bar! Johnny Depp’s favourite. Generator Hostel: A hip new-age ‘design-focused’ hostel well worth a look. Not like any hostel I ever patronized, no kegs on the porch. Go visit the lobby for the design. A Euro chain. DD724 is a small boutique hotel by an Italian architect with thoughtful detailing and colours, near the Peggy Guggenheim Museum (the infamous Unfinished Palazzo), and they have a small remote outpost with fabulous apartment called iQS that is lovely. The owner’s brother is the architect. My fave! Avogaria: Not just a 5 room hotel, it is ‘a concept’, which is great, right?  But very cool. An architect is one of the owners. German minimalist architect Matteo Thun’s JW Mariott Venice Resort Hotel and Spa is an expensive convent renovation on its own lagoon island that shows how blandness is yawningly close to minimalism. The Hotel Bauer Palazzo has a really lovely mid-century modern section facing Campo San Moise, but it is shrouded in construction scaffolding for now.   SHOPPING MODERN FOR ARCHITECTS It is hard to find cool modern shopping options, but here is where you can: Libreria Acqua Alta: Used books and a lovely, unexpected, fab, alt experience. You must see and wander this experience! It has cats too. Giovanna Zanella: Shoes that are absolute works of art! At least look in her window. Bancolotto N10: Stunning women’s clothing made in the women’ prison as a job skill training program. Impeccable clothes; save a moll from a life of crime. Designs188: Giorgio Nason makes fabulous glass jewellery around the corner from the Peggy Guggenheim Museum. Davide Penso: Artisan made glass jewellery on Murano. Ferrovetro Murano: Artisan made jewellery, bags, scarfs. (on Murano). Madera: All the cool designer housewares and jewellery. DECLARE: Cool, modern leathergoods in a very sweet modern shop with exquisite metal detailing. A must see! Ottica Urbani: Cool Italian eyewear and sunglasses. Paperowl: Handmade paper, products, classes. Feeling Venice: Cool design and tourist bling can be found only here. No shot glasses.   MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, MEMORIES AND B-SIDES The Masieri Foundation: Look up the tragic story of this project, a lovely, small memorial to a young architect who died in a car accident on his honeymoon en route to visit Fallingwater in 1952. Yep. His widow commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to design a small student residence and study centre, but it was stopped by anti-American and anti-Modernism sentiments. (Models and renderings are on-line). This may be Venice’s saddest architectural loss ever. The consolation prize is a very, very lovely Scarpa interior reno. Try to get in, ring the bell (it is used as offices by the university)! (Read Troy M. Ainsworth’s thesis on the Masieri project history). Also cancelled: Lou Kahn’s Palace of Congress set for the Arsenale, Corbusier’s New Venice Hospital which would have been sitting over the Lagoon in Cannaregio near the rail viaduct, Gehry’s Venice Gateway (the airport’s ferry/water taxi dock area). Also lost was Rossi’s temporary Teatro del Mondo, a barged small theatre that tooted around Venice and was featured in a similar installation in 1988 at the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant. All available on-line. Teatro del Mondo di Aldo Rossi, Venezia 1980. Photo via Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 Itches to scratch: Exercise your design skills to finish the perennial favorite ‘Unfinished Palazzo’ of the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, design a new Masieri Foundation, design the 11th Vatican Chapel or infill the derelict gasometer site next to Palladio’s Chiese San Francisco della Vigna.   FURTHER AFIELD Within an hour’s drive, you can see the simply amazing Tombe Brion in San Vito Altivole and the tiny, stunning Giptotecha Canova in Possagna (both by Scarpa), the Nardini Grappa Distillery in Bassano del Grappa by Maximillio Fuksas, and a ferry and taxi will get you to Richard Meier’s Jesolo Lido Condos on the beach. A longer drive of two hours into the mountains near Cortina will bring you to Scarpa’s lovely and little known Nostra Signore di Cadora Church. It is sublime! Check out the floor! Zaha Hadid’s stunning Messner Mountain Museum floats above Cortina, accessible by cable car. The recent M-09 Museum on mainland Mestre, a quick 10 minute train ride from Venice, by Sauerbruch + Hutton is a lovely urban museum with dynamic cladding. Castelvecchio Museum. Photo via Wikipedia The Veneto region is home to many cool things, and fab train service gets you quickly to Verona (Scarpa’s Castelvecchio Museum and Banco Populare), Vicenza (Palladio’s Villa Rotonda and Basillicata). There are Palladio villas scattered about the Veneto, and you can daytrip by canal boat from Venice to them. Go stand where Hemingway was wounded in WWI near Fossalta Di Piave (there is a plaque), which led to his famous novel, ‘A Farewell to Arms’. He never got to visit Venice until 1948, then fell in love with the city, leading to ‘Across the River and into the Trees’. He also threatened to burn down FLW’s Masieri Foundation if built (and they both came from Oak Park, Illinois. So not very neighborly).   OTHER GOOD ARCHITECTURAL REFERENCES Venice Modern Architecture Map The only guidebook to Modern Architecture in Venice   These architectural guide folks do tours geared to architects: Architecture Tour Venice – Guiding Architects Venice Architecture City Guide: 15 Historical and Contemporary Attractions to Discover in Italy’s City of Canals | ArchDaily Venice architecture, what to see: buildings by Scarpa, Chipperfield and other great architects The post An Architect’s Guide to Venice and its Modern Architecture    appeared first on Canadian Architect.

The stars are out at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.This year's event kicked off on May 13 with an opening ceremony and the premiere of the French film "Leave One Day." The festival will continue until May 24, providing nearly two weeks of French street style and red-carpet fashion.So far, some celebrities have turned heads in bold ensembles, while others have missed the mark with their looks.From Bella Hadid to Halle Berry, here are the best and worst looks we've seen. Elle Fanning's strapless gown was simple, but effective. Elle Fanning at the Cannes Film Festival. Reuters She walked the "Affeksjonsverdi" red carpet on Wednesday in a strapless Giorgio Armani design that looked pretty and chic.It was fitted to her body, decorated with pink rose appliqués, and completed with a plunging sweetheart neckline. Alex Consani wore a two-piece set that was almost perfect. Alex Consani at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP She arrived for "The Phoenician Scheme" screening on Sunday in a uniquely shaped Schiaparelli set.The model's structured top had a beaded, off-the-shoulder neckpiece that covered her chest and a high-low peplum waistband. Her pants, on the other hand, were oversize and wide.Though her statement blouse had potential, Consani's pants were a little too big and needed tailoring. A form-fitting skirt might have looked better with the top piece. Alexander Skarsgard faced a similar issue. Alexander Skarsgard at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP The actor could have looked classic with a traditional tuxedo for the red-carpet event, or he could have attempted a more daring style.Instead, he tried to do both at the same time.He wore a sharp Saint Laurent tux with his trousers tucked into thigh-high leather boots — a style the fashion house first revealed in its January runway show.The shoes were distracting and felt out of place with his otherwise basic look. Mariska Hargitay had a glamorous pink moment on Saturday. Mariska Hargitay at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP For the "Die, My Love" screening, Hargitay chose an off-the-shoulder gown crafted with black satin and sparkling hot-pink fabric.The color combination was sharp, the gown's straight silhouette fit the actor perfectly, and her elbow-length gloves made the outfit even more elegant. For the "Eddington" red carpet on Friday, Jeremy Strong should have picked a different suit. Jeremy Strong at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Michael Buckner/Getty Images His brown ensemble included a button-up shirt, a wrap blazer, straight-leg trousers, and a bow tie, all cut with raw hems.While the rough style might have worked for a different event, it looked too casual at Cannes. His black loafers were also too harsh against the lighter outfit. Natalie Portman showed the best of Dior. Natalie Portman at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP She walked the "Eddington" red carpet in a strapless, sparkling creation from the French fashion house.Its silver top was covered in sparkles and wrapped with a black bow, while its floor-length skirt had Dior's classic Junon petals.Portman accessorized the look perfectly with a bun hairstyle and a thick diamond necklace. Angelina Jolie's gown would have worked better in a different color. Angelina Jolie at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Also on the "Eddington" red carpet, Jolie wore a strapless Brunello Cucinelli design. It had a thick floor-length skirt, a fitted bodice, and all-over sparkles that highlighted its rope texture.Though the actor looked pretty, her gown's ivory color matched her skin tone too closely and washed her out. The same dress in a pink or lilac shade could have worked better. Elaine Zhong stunned in a cream-colored ball gown. Elaine Zhong at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Gisela Schober/Getty Images The Chinese actor wore the strapless dress on the "Dossier 137" red carpet. Its structured bodice was decorated with beaded appliques, and its cups were shaped with flower petals.To accessorize the glamorous look, she added a sparkling diamond choker, matching earrings, a thick bracelet, and vibrant red lipstick. Zoe Saldaña's all-black ensemble didn't stand out. Zoe Saldaña at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP She attended the "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" red carpet in a black Saint Laurent gown.Though her sleeveless dress was classic, it was also overly simple. Statement jewels could have easily enhanced the look.She also draped a dark leather jacket around her arms, which was much more casual than the rest of her outfit. Araya Alberta Hargate sparkled down the same red carpet. Araya Hargate at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Benoit Tessier/Reuters She wore a crystal-covered dress that looked like it was molded to her body with its form-fitting design.Its strapless, snake-print bodice was corseted with a deep plunge down the middle, and its floor-length skirt was pink and embellished with countless sparkles.The Thai actor completed her look with a large diamond necklace crafted in the shape of leaves. Heidi Klum had a pearlescent moment, but it wasn't her best. Heidi Klum at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Elie Saab designed the model's off-the-shoulder gown. It had a deep V-neckline, see-through stripes, and all-over sparkles in blue and purple.Some of those details might have worked on their own. But together, especially with the gown's mermaid shape, its accents made it look more theatrical than glamorous. Tom Cruise looked sharp in maroon. Tom Cruise at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Cruise attended a promotional event for "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning" at Cannes.In doing so, he became one of the best-dressed men at the festival so far this year.He wore a fitted, textured knit polo and matching trousers with sharp pleats. The outfit was understated and vibrant on its own, while his brown dress shoes and dark sunglasses gave it an edge. Halle Berry made a last-minute fashion change, but her new outfit didn't work for her. Halle Berry at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Reuters When Berry walked onto the Cannes red carpet, she wore a shapeless Jacquemus gown with a black-and-white stripe print.She later told reporters that she'd originally planned to wear an "amazing dress" from Gaurav Gupta, but had to find a new look when Cannes announced a new dress code that prohibits voluminous gowns with long trains the day before the festival began.Unfortunately for Berry, the bold dress she chose was so flowy and oversize that it seemed to wear her, when it should have been the other way around. Isabeli Fontana could have been mistaken for a princess in a metallic gown. Isabeli Fontana at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP Nicolas Jebran designed her halter gown. The form-fitting piece had knotted fabric at the hip, a floor-length skirt with a short train, and a hip-high slit that revealed her sparkling pumps.The gown was also adorned with a sparkling silver piece that covered one shoulder and was embedded with turquoise stones.The ensemble was elegant and fit Fontana perfectly. Bella Hadid is always one of the best-dressed stars at Cannes, but her outfit choice for the 2025 opening ceremony was underwhelming. Bella Hadid at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Saint Laurent designed her sleeveless black dress with some interesting details. Its straps crisscrossed across her back to create cutouts and a deep plunge on the side of her chest.However, the front of the gown was overly simple. It had an asymmetrical neckline that looked mishapen, and a thigh-high slit that was cut too far to the side.Even her massive emerald earrings from Chopard weren't enough to make the ensemble memorable. Eva Longoria sparkled down the red carpet in a stunning gown. Eva Longoria at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP Her Tamara Ralph gown was strapless and covered in square metallic pieces that sparkled in the light as she walked.It also had velvet panels at the waist that gave the dress some shape and matched its glamorous train.Not only was the dress tailored perfectly to Longoria, but the actor also accessorized strongly. She wore a statement necklace, rings, and earrings from Pasquale Bruni. Irina Shayk wore a fun gown, but a different hairstyle could have elevated the whole look. Irina Shayk at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP The model arrived wearing a black Armani Privé gown with all-over white polka dots. It had a strapless neckline, off-the-shoulder puffed sleeves, and a full skirt.On its own, the dress was fun, frilly, and perfect for Cannes.But Shayk wore her hair styled in a dramatic shape — a bun atop a strip of pin-straight hair — that distracted from her outfit.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" The Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 is inviting guests to sit at the Table of Superdiversity, an alluring reimagining of city-making and nation-building through the universal act of dining, in honor of Singapore's 60th year of independence (SG60).The Pavilion, named RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA, is a multisensory experience that reinterprets the Latin concept of tabula rasa, or a blank slate. Here, the words RASA (Malay for "taste"), TABULA (Latin for "table"), and SINGAPURA (Sanskrit for "Lion City") come together to symbolize Singapore's unique identity, which has been molded by centuries of migration, trade, and reimagining. The Singapore Pavilion, organized by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and commissioned by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) and the DesignSingapore Council (Dsg), is curated by a multidisciplinary team from SUTD, including Prof. Tai Lee Siang, Prof. Khoo Peng Beng, Prof. Dr. Erwin Viray, Dr. Jason Lim, Asst. Prof. Dr. Immanuel Koh, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sam Conrad Joyce.The Pavilion examines how architecture, policy, and participatory design connect in Singaporeans' daily lives via the curatorial lens of dining, one of the country's most cherished national hobbies. By interacting with the main components that influence Singapore's built environment, RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA provides guests with a "taste" of the country through a carefully chosen menu of architectural and urban planning projects. While "side dishes" highlight design, policy, and community-building innovations that contribute to Singapore's strength as a multicultural society, "main courses" highlight important developments and districts like Pinnacle@Duxton, a famous public housing development in Singapore that reflects Singapore's innovative approach to urban growth and transformation.Intelligens: Natural. Artificial. Collective, the topic of Biennale curator Carlo Ratti, is reflected and applied to Singapore's setting through the Pavilion's tablescape. The Pavilion aims to convey Singapore's superdiversity by demonstrating how the combination of local and global influences, complex data, and numerous flows of people, goods, ideas, and innovations collectively shape Singapore's distinct identity and the way we rethink the built environment. It does this by building on the Latin word "gens," which means "people," and the word "intelligence.""Illustrating Singapore’s superdiversity, we are highlighting seven ‘main courses’ at RASA-TABULA- SINGAPURA—each offering a taste of how Singapore plans for life at every scale. At Pinnacle@Duxton, we explored vertical living as a framework for superdiversity—where density, design, and innovation come together in the sky," said Prof. Khoo Peng Beng, Co-Curator for the Singapore Pavilion, head of the Architecture and Sustainable Design Pillar at SUTD and a recipient of the President’s Design Award."Moving from single developments to district-scale planning, projects like Tengah and Changi Airport demonstrate how Singapore applies the same design sensibility to shaping entire ecosystems of liveability and movement. These ideas continue through our research and teaching at SUTD, where planning for the future means designing for complexity." "It’s one expression of a city always planning ahead, always becoming,” said Prof. Khoo Peng Beng, Co-Curator for the Singapore Pavilion, head of the Architecture and Sustainable Design Pillar at SUTD and a recipient of the President’s Design Award, Peng Beng added.CapitaSpring, a 280-meter-tall tropical high-rise in the center of Singapore's Central Business District that is a prime illustration of the city's forward-thinking development, is another important example on the dining table. Singapore's Landscaping for Urban Spaces and High-Rises (LUSH) regulation, which mandates that developers replace ground-level greenery with vertical landscapes, is showcased in this biophilic spectacle. The tower's structure incorporates more than 80,000 plants, including a tall, four-story Green Oasis that is 100 meters above the ground and one of the highest in Singapore that is open to the public in business buildings.RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA makes this urban feast come to life with its interactive installations and lively dining-inspired setting, encouraging visitors to think about how shared perspectives on social, natural, and artificial elements can create spaces that represent common needs, values, and goals. The Pavilion transforms into a live platform where guests can learn how diversity, data, and design come together to create Singapore's changing urban landscape and the interwoven systems that support it."Through thoughtful urban planning and design, we create environments that inspire and support how we live, work, play, and connect. In a land-scarce city like Singapore, we need to balance density, diversity, and design," said Yap Lay Bee, Co-Commissioner of the Singapore Pavilion and Group Director (Architecture & Urban Design) of URA."Planning policies, cultural values, environmental priorities, and community needs are considered and integrated to create and shape spaces that are inclusive, resilient and adaptable.RASA-TABULA-SINGAPURA offers a sensory map of that approach, inviting visitors to experience the thoughtful processes that have shaped our nation’s transformation in the last 60 years." "It is not just a showcase of what we have built, but also a reflection of how we imagine—and continue to reimagine— our future,” Lay Bee added."As a nation by design, Singapore’s socio-economic needs, demographics, policies, and spatial negotiations have guided our urban planning. Such intelligence not only reflects our design-led development for the last 60 years, but will continue to chart the course for our future," said Dawn Lim, Co-Commissioner of the Singapore Pavilion and Executive Director of Dsg. "Centring on the concept of superdiversity, this year’s Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale showcases how the convergence of unique multicultural differences, collective histories, design and new technology offers opportunities for more inclusive, adaptive urban futures," Lim added.The 19th International Architecture Exhibition will take place from 10 May to 23 November 2025 at the Giardini, the Arsenale and various venues in Venice, Italy. Find out all exhibition news on WAC's Venice Architecture Biennale page. All images: Installation view of the Singapore Pavilion at La Biennale di Architettura di Venezia 2025. Photo © Giorgio Schirato Photography.> via Singapore Pavilion 

RT Giuseppe De GiorgiBuilding, launching, and scaling ChatGPT Imagesby @GergelyOrosz https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/chatgpt-images?r=tf12u&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false