Master Builders – The Slovenian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale – Podcast Odprto (Open) #41
In this episode of the Open (Odprto) podcast, we host Ana Kosi and Ognen Arsov, co-founders of the architectural office KIP Arhitekti. We discuss the notion of mastery in architecture and construction, and the relationship between the architect and the builder. Our conversation focuses on the interplay between design and the materialisation of architecture, as well as on the crucial role of the human factor in the building process.
The central focus of the conversation was the project Master Builders, through which they highlighted the role of practical knowledge, manual skills and the masterful competencies of construction workers in the Slovenian Pavilion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale.
The project explored the relationship between architect – master builder – architecture through an experimental process, shifting the focus from the idea to the materialisation of architecture. The concept of the pavilion is embodied in a series of totems, whose design and construction are based on building techniques characteristic of contemporary construction sites. The materialisation of even the most refined and artistically expressive architecture takes place on raw and noisy construction sites, in stark contrast to the controlled environments in which architecture is conceived and designed.
In the episode, we also touched on the historical context of the architectural profession, the challenges of contemporary construction, and the gradual disappearance of essential skills. We discussed the importance of understanding construction drawings and of collaborating closely with master builders on the construction site.
You are invited to listen to Podcast Open (Odprto) #41, which offers an insight into the process of materialising architecture and highlights the importance of dialogue between theory and practice.
You can visit the Slovenian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale until 23 November.
More information about the pavilion is available at the link.
All episodes of the Open podcast.
The podcast Open (Odprto) is supported in 2025 by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Spatial Planning and the Chamber of Architecture and Spatial Planning of Slovenia (ZAPS).