Titanium-zinc zintek® for the new Central Pavilion of the Venice Biennale
There is a place that, more than any other, represents the dialogue between art, architecture, and contemporary culture: the Venice Biennale, one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Founded in 1895 as the first International Art Exhibition, it now transforms the entire city into a stage, championing the avant-garde across the disciplines of Art, Architecture, Cinema, Dance, Music, and Theatre. The Central Pavilion in the area of Giardini di Castello, its physical and symbolic heart, was the focus of a major renovation project, completed last March.
The project is part of the “Project for the Development and Enhancement of the Venice Biennale’s Activities towards the Construction of a Permanent Centre of National and International Excellence in Venice”, one of 14 strategic projects funded by the Ministry of Culture under the National Complementary Plan (PNC) to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), programme “Major Cultural Heritage Attractors”, measure 1 (digitalisation, innovation, competitiveness and culture), component 3 (tourism and culture 4.0).
The architectural design and artistic direction were entrusted to Labics (Maria Claudia Clemente and Francesco Isidori) with Fabio Fumagalli; Lead firm, Structural design, Safety coordination, Sustainability and General construction management: BUROMILAN – Milan Ingegneria S.p.A.; MEP design, fire prevention and Operational management of building services: ia2 Studio, while Setten S.p.A. is the main contractor.
For the pavilion’s roofing, natural zintek® zinc-titanium was used, installed with a double standing-seam system.
This is a choice with a precise meaning: in a setting of extraordinary historical and cultural value such as the Biennale Gardens, the architecture called for materials capable of combining aesthetic quality, durability and sustainability.
The elegance of the metal, its ability to interact with light and with the Venetian landscape, together with its exceptional longevity and recyclability, made zinc-titanium an ideal solution for the project.
But there’s more: the material used for the renovation of the Central Pavilion was made just a few kilometres away, at the Zintek plant in Porto Marghera. It is the metal of the city, helping to build one of the city’s most iconic places.
The exhibition spaces have been completely reorganised around the historic Sala Chini, the main circulation hub, around which the bookshop, café, a multipurpose room and the restrooms are arranged.
Each hall is conceived as a large, neutral, flexible white box, with technical systems integrated and concealed behind the walls to give the architecture an essential, rigorous character.
The work on the Central Pavilion is the latest in a series of interventions carried out by Zintek on buildings used by the Biennale. In 2025, the company took part in the construction of the new Gardens ticket offices, and in 2026 in that of the security booths and canopies at the entrance to the Gardens, as well as in the renovation of other national pavilions, contributing to the event’s infrastructure renewal programme.
A discreet but tangible presence, demonstrating the ability of zintek® zinc-titanium to engage with architectural contexts of absolute excellence, contributing to projects built to last.
