Assembly: Ireland’s Venice Pavilion Champions Architecture as Participatory Dialogue

At the 19th International Venice Architecture Biennale, Assembly, a multi-sensory pavilion by Cotter & Naessens Architects, invites visitors into a space where sound, craftsmanship, and architecture converge to explore the meaning of democratic gathering. Running from May 10 to November 23, 2025, with an official opening on May 8 from 5:30 to 6:30pm, the Irish Pavilion presents a deeply collaborative and evocative reflection on participatory democracy, inspired by the Citizens’ Assembly model.

Presented by Culture Ireland in partnership with the Arts Council, Assembly is more than a built structure—it is a resonant instrument animated by the people who enter it. The pavilion is the result of a creative partnership between Cotter & Naessens Architects, sound artist David Stalling, poet and architect Michelle Delea, curator Luke Naessens, and woodworker Alan Meredith.

The installation takes conceptual cues from Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly, a democratic innovation first introduced in 2016, where 99 randomly selected Irish citizens reflect the country’s demographic makeup and are tasked with deliberating major issues such as marriage equality, climate change, and biodiversity. These forums have received international attention as models for inclusive political dialogue.

“Assembly asks how architecture can contribute to, and learn from, this ongoing political experiment,” said the curatorial team. The pavilion proposes a prototype for inclusive spatial communication, merging design elements found in choir stalls, parliamentary chambers, and cattle marts—traditional and unconventional venues of collective dialogue.

The materials used in Assembly reflect both local identity and sustainable practice. Irish beech trees, selected and seasoned by Alan Meredith, serve as the structural backbone. Visitors are welcomed by a handwoven carpet from Ceadogán Rugmakers, reinforcing a tactile invitation into the space. These handcrafted elements offer warmth and approachability, anchoring the pavilion in both tradition and forward-thinking design.

Embedded in the pavilion’s structure are choral soundboxes, each playing a segment of a polyphonic sound composition. This sonic landscape, shaped by Stalling and Delea, draws inspiration from Venetian cori spezzati, a Renaissance technique of spatially separated choral music. The audio features interviews with Citizens’ Assembly participants, snippets of poetry, ambient recordings of the pavilion’s construction, and musical interludes—creating a narrative of layered perspectives.

“The structure is not complete without its visitors,” said architect Louise Cotter, emphasizing that participation is integral to the experience. “We want to create a space where architecture is in dialogue with woodwork, textiles, poetry, art, music, and the political imagination. It’s a space for empathy, exchange, and reflection.”

The installation’s form embodies both the act and idea of assembling—gathering as people and constructing meaning from disparate parts. Functionally, it seeks to dissolve hierarchy, allowing voices to mingle and challenge fixed authority. Thematically, Assembly highlights architecture’s potential as a democratic facilitator, rather than merely a physical structure.

Assembly will travel across Ireland in 2026 as part of a national tour supported by the Arts Council, extending the reach of this participatory vision beyond Venice.

The Irish Pavilion is supported by a broad coalition of public and private partners, including the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, Dublin City Council, Cork City and County Councils, Creative Ireland Laois, Jacobs Engineering, Cork Centre for Architectural Education, Henry J Lyons, and United Hardware. Technical assistance has been provided by Ceadogán Rugs, Punch Consulting Engineers, iGuzzini, and Innosonix.

Cotter & Naessens, based in Cork City since 2001, are no strangers to the international stage. Their portfolio includes the award-winning dlrLexicon in Dún Laoghaire and the FOCAS Research Institute at Technical University Dublin. Their work emphasizes public engagement and design research, and their contributions to past Venice Biennales stretch back to 1985, when they took part in an exhibition curated by Aldo Rossi. They were also among the 16 studios featured in Close Encounters at the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale.

With multiple nominations for the EU Mies Award and recognition from RIBA and RIAI, Cotter & Naessens continue to push the boundaries of how architecture can serve society—not just in form and function, but in fostering the conditions for dialogue, respect, and shared futures.