2nd Sharjah Architecture Triennial
11 November 2023 – 10 March 2024
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
The Beauty of Impermanence: An Architecture of Adaptability
See the curatorial statement
Curator: Tosin Oshinowo
President of SAT: Hoor Al Qasimi
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11 November 2023 – 10 March 2024
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
The Beauty of Impermanence: An Architecture of Adaptability
See the curatorial statement
Curator: Tosin Oshinowo
President of SAT: Hoor Al Qasimi
Photos and information about all the projects
Curated by architect Tosin Oshinowo, the 2023 edition of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial features 29 architects, designers and studios from 25 countries, who explore innovative design solutions borne out of conditions of scarcity in the Global South. From large-scale installations and exhibitions to critical conversations and wider public programming, the Triennial examines how cultures of re-use, re-appropriation, collaboration and adaptation can help to deliver a more sustainable, resilient and equitable future.
The Triennial was first established in 2018 to provide a platform for architecture and urbanism from West Asia to South Asia and the African continent, framed within the context of Sharjah. Projects are displayed across the city and its environs, from central locations such as the old Al Jubail Vegetable Market and the Al Qasimiyah School to the surrounding desert. The edition immerses visitors in an ambitious and dynamic presentation that, while rooted in the history, culture and tradition of Sharjah, transforms the region into a global hub for architectural discourse.
Renowned for her environmentally and socially responsive approaches to architecture, Oshinowo’s choice of theme is inspired by her own design philosophy, which embraces contextual solutions. The Triennial’s participants shine a spotlight on design solutions that draw from indigenous knowledge, explore the potential of local materials, and examine the climate resilience and adaptability of communities around the world.
From climate change to resource scarcity, participants demonstrate how knowledge derived from the Global South can inspire resilient design.
Hive Earth: ETA'DAN (Fante for mud wall).
© Photo: Haupt & Binder, Universes in Universe
Participants also engage in documenting, recording, and addressing the extractive processes that often underpin design.
Formafantasma: Cambio, 2020-2023. Video installation.
© Photo: Haupt & Binder, Universes in Universe
Celebrating the ephemeral nature of civilisation’s interaction with the environment, projects explore how natural landscape systems and cultural narratives can be integrated into new urban frameworks.
DAAR: Concrete Tent, abandoned village of Al Madam, 2023.
© Photo: Haupt & Binder, Universes in Universe
All texts from press information of the organizers.
Cover image on top: Natura Futura (Ecuador), La Balsanera - Floating Productive House, Mixed-media installation.
© Photo: Haupt & Binder, Universes in Universe.