Kaisa Karvinen appointed curator of Pavilion of Finland at Biennale Architettura 2027

Archinfo, the Information Centre for Finnish Architecture, has invited architect and curator Kaisa Karvinen to curate the Pavilion of Finland’s exhibition at the Biennale Architettura 2027. The 20th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia will be held from 8 May to 21 November, 2027. 

The exhibition for the next Biennale Architettura will be Archinfo's fifth time as commissioner of Finland’s national pavilion. Throughout its tenure as commissioner, Archinfo has presented exhibitions commissioned through a mix of direct curator invitations and open call processes, beginning with the Mind-Building exhibition, which was directly commissioned in 2018.

“Archinfo’s long-term goal has been to strengthen Finnish architectural curation expertise. Kaisa Karvinen is one of our leading curators of contemporary architecture with a diverse background in architecture, art, and research,” says Katarina Siltavuori, Director of Archinfo.

Alongside the Biennale exhibition, Karvinen is conducting research on architecture exhibitions as a means of producing meaning and knowledge. The knowledge generated in the research project will be made available to others interested in architecture curation.

“It’s inspiring to be able to combine curatorial research and practice. I aim to develop the processes of architectural curation and share insights with others while creating the exhibition. On the other hand, I see the curator's primary role as supporting the exhibition's creators – whether they are architects, visual artists, or researchers – and facilitating dialogue between the exhibition and the audience," says Kaisa Karvinen.

A unique platform for stimulating architectural debate

Held since 1980, the International Architecture Exhibition in Venice is the world's most prestigious arena for presenting architecture. It differs from other architecture exhibitions and events in terms of its unique location, long duration, and high profile, among other things. The 130-year tradition of the Biennale Arte and La Biennale di Venezia's position as a significant local player make the exhibition process particular.

The Biennale Architettura is a key forum for bringing the Finnish perspective into the international architectural debate. 

“In Archinfo’s international operations, the Biennale exhibition is the most important project, and it is beneficial for both the process and the end result that the curator is familiar with the unique context of the Biennale. Karvinen’s experience of the Biennale Architettura, where she curated the thought-provoking Nordic Pavilion exhibition produced by Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki in 2025, is valuable for the success of the project,” says Katarina Siltavuori.

“I am delighted to have the opportunity to curate a Biennale exhibition for the second time, now that I am familiar with the processes involved. I can delve deeper into the significance of the Biennale for architectural discourse and explore the possibilities of architectural curation. The intimate space of the Finnish pavilion, closing off from the hustle and bustle of the Biennale, feels like a good starting point for the next exhibition. It is also great to start working from the foundation created by the research done by previous curators Ella Kaira and Matti Jänkälä for the 2025 exhibition,” says Karvinen.

At the recently concluded 19th International Architecture Exhibition, Archinfo presented The Pavilion – Architecture of Stewardship, an exhibition examining the history and maintenance of the iconic, Alvar Aalto-designed Pavilion of Finland, built in 1956. The audiovisual work for the exhibition, curated by architects Ella Kaira and Matti Jänkälä, was created by video artist Merle Karp and sound designer Jussi Hertz. Read more

Curated by Kaisa Karvinen for the Nordic Pavilion, the exhibition Industry Muscle – Five Scores for Architecture, created by performance artist Teo Ala-Ruona and his multidisciplinary team, explored the modern built environment through the experience of trans body. The exhibition was produced by Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki. Read more

At the end of November, La Biennale di Venezia announced their curators for the Biennale Architettura 2027. Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, founders of the Chinese Amateur Architecture Studio, focus in their work on existing materials, traces of everyday life, locality, and the processes and skills of artisans. Read more

The Ministry of Education and Culture has appointed Archinfo as the commissioner of the Finnish pavilion at the Biennale Architettura until 2029. Responsibility for the Nordic Pavilion’s exhibition rotates between Finland, Norway and Sweden. In 2027, the National Museum of Norway will be responsible for production.