The British Council has announced that the British Pavilion at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale will be curated by a dynamic UK-Kenya team. The curatorial team includes Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi, co-founders of the Nairobi-based Cave Bureau, alongside Dezeen contributor Owen Hopkins and Queen Mary University professor Kathryn Yusoff. This marks the first time the British Pavilion will be curated by an international team, highlighting a significant step towards global collaboration and cultural exchange.
The British Pavilion, which has stood in the Giardini since 1909, will be conceptually turned “inside out” for the exhibition. This innovative approach aims to explore “architectures from across the world defined by an embedded relationship to the ground,” showcasing resilience against climate breakdown and social upheaval. The curators intend to reframe the pavilion to reflect acts of repair and present a “planetary vernacular” through physical and digital installations.
Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi bring a wealth of experience to the project. Their work with Cave Bureau, particularly the travelling Anthropocene Museum, has garnered international acclaim for addressing ecological and cultural themes. Mutegi was recently named one of the 50 most influential women in architecture and design by Dezeen.
Joining them are Owen Hopkins, the director of the Farrell Centre at Newcastle University, and Kathryn Yusoff, a professor known for her research on the colonial impacts of geology and race. Together, the team aims to create an exhibition that not only acknowledges the past but also offers a vision for a more equitable future.
Sevra Davis, director of architecture, design, and fashion at the British Council, expressed excitement about the appointment. “As part of the upcoming 2025 UK-Kenya Season of Culture, this marks the first time we celebrate international connection and collaboration through the British Pavilion in Venice,” Davis said. She emphasized that the exhibition will focus on an “architecture of repair” and cross-cultural knowledge creation.
The 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Italian architect Carlo Ratti, will run from May 24 to November 23, 2025. The British Pavilion’s transformation promises to ignite meaningful conversations about architecture’s impact on communities and the environment, positioning the UK-Kenya team at the forefront of innovative architectural discourse.
