RedSkyFalls

Pavilion of Portugal - The 61st International Art Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia

A project by Alexandre Estrela curated by Ana Baliza and Ricardo Nicolau
2026

The Space as Seismograph

The exhibition project is based on a process of pragmatic refinement, guided by the search for the best solution with the least expenditure of energy and material. It is an elemental architecture, born from attentiveness to what already exists and from listening to the space, seeking to transform simplicity into power.

Access to the Pavilion is through its two entrances — both the one with a ramp and the one with stairs. Circulation has been designed to move through the exhibition experience while ensuring full accessibility, allowing entry via the ramp to become part of the route rather than merely a functional adaptation. The visitor’s movement, rhythm, and presence are integrated into the spatial system itself.

The control of natural light, essential to the immersive video experience, is ensured by a movable, multifunctional wall. When required, the module becomes a projection screen for parallel activities and can be repositioned according to the dynamics of the programme.

Inside the room, a lightweight wall and an entrance corridor organise the space and control light and sound. These surfaces function as screens and filters — permeable structures that define the environment and create areas of variable density, modulating the perception of sound and silence.

An aerial web suspended from the existing beams distributes the technical cabling, forming a discreet network that supports the functioning of the exhibition.

A series of boxes has been designed to fulfil a dual function: to protect the delicate contents during transport and, at the same time, to serve as discreet support devices for the exhibition and its programme, such as benches, storage units, or supports.

The entire ensemble acts as a sensitive seismograph, capable of responding to vibrations, the flow of light, and the movement of bodies through space. The lightweight, reversible structure almost disappears discreetly; it does not impose a form, but makes visible the breathing of the world — the subtle oscillations of the planet and of the life that moves upon it.

RedSkyFalls website

Author
  • Alexandre Estrela
Curatorship
  • Ana Baliza
  • Ricardo Nicolau
Architecture — Space Collectors
  • Luca Martinucci Architect
  • Pedro Bandeira Architect Consultant
  • Catarina Machado
  • Leonor Gonçalves Intern
  • Paula Melâneo
  • Paolo Piccinin On-site architectural supervision
  • Rita Ferreira
Exhibition
  • 18—25 Research Studio Architectural Visualization
  • ArtWorks Production and installation
  • Ian Duclos Audiovisual installation
  • Francisco Antão Audiovisual installation
Organisation
Ministério da Cultura, Juventude e Desporto, Margarida Balseiro Lopes
Commissioner
Direção-Geral das Artes, Américo Rodrigues, Director-General