Defining a sustainable French architecture: France's national pavilion at the 2004 Venice Biennale

Abstract

The French pavilion at the 2004 Venice Biennale of Architecture took up the theme of sustainable design through a “prospective game” that challenged participating architects to imagine an urban neighborhood's transformation in response to economic, social, and environmental constraints over the following 30 years. The exhibition paradoxically appeared to proclaim French sustainable know-how at a time when French architects viewed the profession as lagging behind their European neighbors in terms of ecological approaches. By framing sustainability as avant-garde, experimental design, the pavilion reconciled “French” and “sustainable” architecture. Examining this exhibit and its impact contributes to an understanding of French self-fashioning of national identity around culture. Moreover, this case demonstrates how cultural elements of identity influence responses to global challenges such as climate change.