Barcelona Bienal 2008 : in pursuit of context [Review]

Abstract

The 5th European Biennial of Landscape Architecture was held in Barcelona on the 25th, 26th and 27th September 2008. Julian Raxworthy reports on the event.

The Biennial was held at the Palau de la Música Catalana, an old building with an interestingly deep facade that juts in and out with neo‐Gothic vaulting. The venue was excellent with a social space out front, simultaneous translation throughout and bars, cafes and restaurants nearby. Held every two years, the Biennial ‘cocktail’ is an interesting if oblique mixture that also reflects where it positions itself professionally. The Biennial is not an academic conference, nor a tradeshow, nor a professional gathering, but is in some way a bit of all these things which makes it ambiguous at times but much more interesting than any of these individual parts, even though the cocktail is not always well mixed.

The last two Biennials have started on the Wednesday night with a book launch by GG publishers, this time of their Venice Lagoon publication. The Thursday is allotted to the Rosa Barba prize presentations, and the Friday for the main academic forum of the Symposium, with themed presentation. The Friday night is for the Biennial party and the Saturday morning is for the half‐day presentation by the guest country. This time it was the United States and a related curated exhibition was held with the party. In many ways, there seems to be little continuity in the various parts but this does not seem to be much of a problem once you are there.