Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Bahrain win Golden Lions at the Venice Architecture Biennale

Breaking news: US studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Bahrain have been awarded Golden Lions at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale for the best project on show and pavilion, respectively. Diller Scofidio + Renfro's winning project, Canal Cafe, takes water from the Arsenal lagoon to create coffee for the event's visitors, aiming to create a drink The post Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Bahrain win Golden Lions at the Venice Architecture Biennale appeared first on Dezeen.

May 10, 2025 - 11:27
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Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Bahrain win Golden Lions at the Venice Architecture Biennale
Canal Cafe at Venice Architecture Biennale by Diller Scofidio + Renfro

Breaking news: US studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Bahrain have been awarded Golden Lions at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale for the best project on show and pavilion, respectively.

Diller Scofidio + Renfro's winning project, Canal Cafe, takes water from the Arsenal lagoon to create coffee for the event's visitors, aiming to create a drink with a distinct Venetian flavour.

Canal Cafe at Venice Architecture Biennale by Diller Scofidio + Renfro
Diller Scofidio + Renfro won a Golden Lion at this year's Venice Architecture Biennale

The Bahrain pavilion explores the effect of rising global temperatures on construction sites, with a suspended ceiling designed to create a microclimate in the space.

They were presented with the prizes at the official award ceremony of the Venice Architecture Biennale, held today at the event's headquarters, Ca' Giustinian.

Bahrain Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale
Bahrain won the award for best pavilion. Photo by Amy Peacock

The special mention for national participation went to the Holy See Pavilion and the British Pavilion, which was collaboratively created by curators from the UK and Kenya.

Special mentions were also given to the project Elephant Chapel by Bangkok Project Studio, which features a series of bio-brick arches made from elephant dung, and Nigerian architect Tosin Oshinowo for her project, Alternative Urbanism: The Self-Organized Markets of Lagos.

British Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale
Special mention was given to the British Pavilion. Photo by Chris Lane

The winners were selected by a jury made up of Swiss curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, MoMA architecture and design senior curator Paola Antonelli and South African architect Mpho Matsipa.

American philosopher Donna Haraway was presented with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of her influence on science, technology and feminist theory.

The Special Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Memoriam was given to the late Italian architect Italo Rota, who passed away last year aged 70.

Haraway and Rota were selected for the awards last month by this year's biennale curator, Italian architect Carlo Ratti.

More to follow...

The photography is by Iwan Baan unless stated.

The Venice Architecture Biennale takes place from 10 May to 23 November 2025. See Dezeen Events Guide for all the latest information you need to know to attend the event, as well as a list of other architecture and design events taking place around the world.

The post Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Bahrain win Golden Lions at the Venice Architecture Biennale appeared first on Dezeen.