Latvian Pavilion «T/C Latvia» at the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale
Brief description of the project
The Latvian pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023 was a supermarket where architecture merged with shopping culture. The exhibition called for free communication in a space that is similarly perceived and understood around the world. The exhibition consisted of 506 unique products, created by artificial intelligence from ideas taken from the national pavilions of the last ten Venice Biennale architecture exhibitions. The graphic identity of the pavilion was designed to give visitors an immediate association with a grocery store. The message was conveyed in an attractive way - with bright colours, geometric shapes and the use of a strong typeface.
Originality and creativity of the idea
To craft the graphic language of the food supermarket, it was imperative for TCL to embody brightness, boldness, and dynamism. A typeface was carefully selected to encapsulate these traits, thereby augmenting the unique visual identity of the supermarket products and country pavilions. TCL's design system comprises dynamic layouts and geometric shapes commonly encountered in supermarkets. These elements are prominently featured on stickers, wobblers, price signs, and specially curated promotional products. The colour schemes and designs of TCL's shelf banners drew inspiration from the official communication posters of the past 10 Biennales. Aligned with the supermarket concept and product range, a barcode was devised to facilitate easy navigation through the colours corresponding to each year's architecture fair.
Definition of the problem and the relevance of the applied solutions
The primary challenge in crafting the graphic identity and architectural design system for the supermarket was to ensure immediate association with a grocery store. This objective was achieved through an appealing approach, incorporating vibrant colors, geometric shapes, and a bold typeface.
Co-creation, stakeholder involvement and cooperation during the realisation process
Cooperation during project development and implementation was carried out in two phases.
1. The pavilion's warm-up activities involving the public in the cultural space "Smilga" were developed in cooperation with the audio gallery "Tīrkultūra". These meetings focused on DJs who were selected to curate sets that complemented the narrative of the Latvian Pavilion. With the help of the Art Academy of Latvia's New School of Architecture (LMAA) platform "Salons", we organised discussions on the Baltic participation in the Venice Architecture Biennale.
2. The project focuses on sustainable use of resources, which is ensured in cooperation with partners. Re-use of shop equipment (cash register, floodlights, baskets on transport trolleys) in cooperation with Rimi Latvia. Prototyping, printing, assembly of cardboard parts in cooperation with Magnum NT.
Functionality and technological solutions
As the Latvian Pavilion has curated ideas borrowed from national pavilions at the past ten architecture exhibitions, the total number of products or concepts to be showcased reached a staggering 506. To accomplish the creation of such a large array of food products within a short timeframe, divided into 10 distinct categories, the design team sought assistance from Midjourney, a tool that began gaining recognition in early 2023. Utilizing this tool enabled the creation of radically different stylistic directions in product design, including items not typically found on shelves, such as a giant pepper resembling Swiss cheese or a vivid blue fruit that does not exist in reality.
Aesthetics and other experiential dimensions
TCL played a significant role in curating the 506 products or concepts sourced from national pavilions of previous Biennales, which were prominently displayed on the shelves of the TCL shop. The design of these items aimed to immediately evoke associations with specific product categories such as dairy products, fruits, crisps, preserves, and more. Additionally, the products were crafted to elicit a sense of surprise among visitors. Midjourney facilitated the creation of fruits and vegetables with imaginative attributes—vibrant colors, amusing shapes, and sizes—that do not exist in reality.
The TCL logo was purposefully crafted to resonate with typical food retail logos, while also reflecting the interactive voting process within the TCL store. This process involves visitors engaging with the exhibition by throwing balls into a hole above a banner, allowing them to actively participate in voting for a particular pavilion.
Economic significance, sustainability and circularity
The products featured in the shop were printed on sustainable paper and cardboard, sourced from renewable resources such as cellulose fibers derived from wood or recycled waste paper. In line with the overall concept and commitment to sustainable practices, the Latvian Pavilion's information booklet was meticulously designed. Inspired by the format of promotional booklets commonly found in supermarkets, it utilizes paper that minimizes unnecessary resource consumption and is cost-effective. Furthermore, during the pavilion's design phase, emphasis was placed on reducing material usage and implementing recycling-friendly features to facilitate reuse wherever possible.
Social relevance, inclusion, availability and accessibility
The graphic identity and product design of the supermarket were crafted to be inclusive and engaging, catering to visitors of all ages and backgrounds. Regardless of one's profession or area of expertise, the exhibition aimed to capture the interest and comprehension of every visitor. Participants from previous Architecture Biennales may find this display especially captivating, as TCL offers a unique perspective by transforming architectural concepts from previous years into food commodities.
