Porch design, a quintessential American feature, once viewed as a 'curse' by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
A porch - perched between private and public - is an in-between space that's part indoor, part outdoor, with roots tracing back to ancient Latin (it's related to "portico," a grand entrance with columns). But there's nothing more traditionally American than this humble structure, especially in the South where it's a hub for witnessing the world go by and sometimes, welcoming it in.
This year, the US Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale shines a spotlight on the porch, themed as Porch: An Architecture of Generosity. Contrary to usual, the exhibit was organized in Northwest Arkansas, a place that may strike coastal types as neither here nor there. Peter MacKeith, one of the co-commissioners, believes this region is ideally situated - centrally located in the country and rich in vernacular buildings that tell the story of what people actually want and need, rather than architecture's imagined wants.
Porches are inviting spaces where barriers break down, and going out on one signals an eagerness to be known. However, Frank Lloyd Wright dismissed porches as a conservative cliché, deeming them "a curse of the American home." Nevertheless, they serve practical and social purposes - providing access to fresh air and shade, and fostering social interaction.
MacKeith, now Dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture + Design at the University of Arkansas, has spent much of his career in Scandinavia andcurated the Nordic Pavilion for the Biennale in 2012. Co-commissioners Susan Chin, a renowned urbanist, and Rod Bigelow, executive director of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, join MacKeith in bringing the porch to life. With the museum in Bentonville, Arkansas, being a community-focused institution with multiple entryways, they consider it as one big porch.
The pavilion itself has been transformed, much like its past iterations. Marlon Blackwell, a co-commissioner and architect who teaches at the University of Arkansas, created a temporary projection out front that feels porch-like with its wooden slats, creating a spacious gathering area for talks, music, group meals, and other events throughout the summer.
The design team includes Julie Bargmann of D.I.R.T. Studio, Maura Rockcastle from Ten x Ten, and industrial designer Stephen Burks, who will fill both interior and exterior spaces with his furniture and sculptural objects. Together, they create a project called Objects of Belonging, intended to reflect bell hooks' ideas on the porch.
The exhibitors at the Pavilion, totaling 54 in number, were chosen via an open call and must have completed built projects since 2000. The pavilion showcases structures that embody the essence of "porchness" and come from across the United States. From urban streets turned outdoor dining venues (streeteries) to public gathering spaces like the “Sunset Canopy” in Memphis, this exhibit paints a diverse picture of the porch's architectural influence.
The porch is more than a mere architectural element - it's a social and cultural space deeply embedded in the heritage of the American South, including Arkansas. By focusing on the porch, the Venice Architecture Biennale offers a unique insight into the everyday history and culture of the United States, from coast to coast and everywhere in between.
Learn more about Porch: An Architecture of Generosity at https://porchusavenice2025.org/.
Malika might find the exhibition of porches, titled Porch: An Architecture of Generosity, surprisingly located in Northwest Arkansas intriguing, as it contrasts the traditional setting of Venice. Exhibitors, including Marlon Blackwell and Julie Bargmann, fill both interior and exterior spaces with objects that reflect the essence of "porchness", such as urban streets transformed into outdoor dining venues, showcasing the diverse architectural impact of porches across the United States. This year's US Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale offers a unique exploration of the social and cultural significance of porches, particularly in the American South, and their role in shaping lifestyles and home-and-garden design.
