Biennale Architettura 2021: Wetland curated by Wael Al Awar and Kenichi Teramoto

The National Pavilion of the United Arab Emirates at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition - Biennale Architettura 2021
Wetland presents an environmentally friendly salt based cement alternative which could reduce the climate impact of the construction industry. Created from recycled industrial waste brine, the MgO cement has been hand-cast into organic shapes recalling the UAE’s traditional coral-built houses, forming a hand-built 7 x 5 meter prototype structure. The prototype is accompanied by large-scale images created by New York-based Emirati artist Farah Al Qasimi of the UAE’s UNESCO World Heritage Site-nominated sabkhas (salt flats), which provided inspiration for the research process.