Venice, Italy
The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection is the participation project of Saudi Arabia, designed by Syn Architects, as part of the country’s participation in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia, that will serve as a platform for architectural discourse, highlighting the intersection of heritage, spatial innovation, and forward-thinking urban design.
Commissioned by the Architecture and Design Commission under Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture, the National Pavilion continues to support architectural and design practitioners in developing new frameworks for understanding and shaping the built environment.
Through its participation in La Biennale di Venezia, the pavilion contributes to a global dialogue on the evolving nature of cities and the role of architecture in addressing contemporary challenges.
The exhibition builds upon the work of the Um Slaim Collective, established by Syn Architects in 2021, which critically investigates the displacement of vernacular Najdi architecture in central Riyadh.
It features a living archive and interactive site, launching The Um Slaim School as an alternative pedagogical platform.
The project draws together oral, visual, and experimental documentation to explore the layered stories and relationships embedded in the fabric of the city, aiming to articulate novel modes of reading and imagining the built environment that are continuous with the spatial learnings of the past.
By integrating these narratives, the pavilion proposes new approaches to architectural education, linking historical knowledge with contemporary urban discourse.
The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection creates an interactive space that functions as both a living archive and an evolving site of learning.
It seeks to foster a participatory framework where architectural practitioners, researchers, and the public can contribute to discussions on urban change, spatial memory, and environmental adaptation.
The Um Slaim School aims to generate a transnational dialogue, encouraging exchange with global architectural communities engaged in similar explorations of practice-led education and research-based design thinking.
A key component of the pavilion is its dynamic program of public sessions and workshops, led by curator Beatrice Leanza and supported by Maryam AlNoaimi.
These sessions will extend beyond the exhibition, fostering discussions around urban sustainability, ecological resilience, and the social role of architecture.
A publication accompanying the project will document the insights and research generated throughout the Biennale, contributing to a broader discourse on contemporary urban and architectural challenges.
The 19th International Architecture Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia will be running from May 10 to November 23, 2025.
Project: Saudi Arabia’s Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition—La Biennale di Venezia
Architects: Syn Architects
Lead Architects: Sara Alissa and Nojoud Alsudairi
Curator: Beatrice Leanza
Assistant Curator: Maryam AlNoaimi
Client: Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia
Photographers: Nora Alissa, Diana Tinoco, and Laurian Ghinitoiu
