Iceland’s ‘Lavaforming’ Imagines Cities Built From Volcanic Basalt

Iceland’s national pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, titled “Lavaforming”, proposes a radical new vision for building the future—one shaped not by concrete or steel, but by volcanic basalt lava. Running from May 10 to November 23, 2025, with a press preview on May 8 (9:30–10am), the exhibition positions lava not as a hazard to avoid, but as a renewable, hyper-local material with the potential to reshape cities and infrastructure sustainably.

Spearheaded by architect Arnhildur Pálmadóttir and her Reykjavík-based team at s.ap architects, Lavaforming introduces a speculative yet tangible architectural approach: using controlled lava flows to mold cities, offering an alternative to environmentally destructive construction methods. The exhibit reflects years of experimentation in re-melting, casting, and testing lava to transform it into usable architectural forms.

“We’re asking: What if natural disasters could become natural solutions?” says Pálmadóttir, who in 2024 received the Nordic Council Environment Prize for her pioneering work in sustainable design. With fellow team members Arnar Skarphéðinsson, Björg Skarphéðinsdóttir, and Sukanya Mukherjee, the Lavaforming project pushes boundaries by turning one of Earth’s most volatile materials into building blocks for the future.

Lava as Mono-Material: Durable, Renewable, Local

In the pavilion, recent experiments with basalt—a lava-derived volcanic rock—are presented to demonstrate how this material could serve as a mono-material for construction, eliminating the need for mining composite resources. Laboratory tests show promising results: black, glassy bricks and smooth columns formed from cooled lava offer durability, strength, and aesthetic appeal, while requiring no non-renewable additives.

The process: basalt is harvested, re-melted, and poured into molds, allowing for precise shaping while dramatically reducing carbon emissions, waste, and transport costs often associated with conventional building materials.

“Lavaforming is about building with nature, not against it,” says Minister of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education, Logi Einarsson. “This project shows how Iceland’s creative community is leading conversations around climate-responsive, ecologically responsible design.”

From Science to Speculative Fiction

The Icelandic Pavilion is not just a technical display. It includes an animated speculative film, created in collaboration with writer Andri Snær Magnason and musician-technologist Jack Armitage, envisioning life in the year 2150. The film follows six fictional characters reflecting on how shaped lava has changed the built environment, society, and humanity’s bond with Earth.

“It’s a vision of a city that is not imposed on nature but grown from it,” explains Pálmadóttir. “We want visitors to think: What happens when we treat natural materials as allies, not obstacles?”

Architecture Beyond Capital

Beyond its technical and imaginative appeal, Lavaforming takes a critical stance on architecture’s entanglement with economic forces. Co-creator Arnar Skarphéðinsson notes that the profession is often limited by speculative real estate and commercial interests. “Today, people can’t afford homes, and cities feel uninspired. It’s not a failure of design—it’s a failure of systems.”

Lavaforming offers a positive, systemic alternative, inviting architects, policymakers, and the public to rethink ownership, access, and ecological responsibility. Its core message is hopeful: a global emergency can be addressed by repurposing local threats—a philosophy that has relevance far beyond Iceland’s borders.

A Historic First for Iceland

This is Iceland’s first open-call selection for the Architecture Biennale. The project is commissioned by Iceland Design and Architecture, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Business Affairs. The commission underscores Iceland’s belief in design as a driving force in shaping future societies and sustainable economies.

Lavaforming stands out as a deeply interdisciplinary, scientifically grounded, and future-oriented project—an example of how speculative architecture, when grounded in real materials and methods, can fuel both imagination and innovation.