installation by supermanoeuvre in the australian pavilion at the venice biennale image © designboom

part of the ‘formations’ exhibition at the australian pavilion, sydney-based practice supermanoeuvre has installed a wall of bent steel for the 13th international architecture exhibition in venice. the densities of the grid-like structure are gradiented to diffuse the space. programmed by the firm, a structural form-finding software was generated and collaboration took place across their tri-continental network to complete the piece. approximately 5,000 lines of code were the designer, 50,000 lines of file to factory robotic control code, 6,800 bends to 25,000 meters of 1/4" diameter steel rods were created without a single drawing. manufacture took place in ann arbor, michigan and the worked elements were then shipped and assembled in venice.

see our previous coverage of richard goodwin’s black dot installation on vacant buildings throughout the city of venice here.

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition side view of the installation image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition framework reaches the ceiling of the australian pavilion image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition detail of the bends image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition overview of supermanoeuvre exhibit image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition models displayed upon a bent rod base image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition boats have landed within a venetian building image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition boats crashing into a venetian building image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition detail of boat coming out of the venetian building image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition model displayed within bent rod base image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition ‘supermatter II’ by supermanoeuvre, 2009 image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition wall of rod modules displayed with interactive illumination image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition bent rod details image © designboom

robotic rod bending | venice biennale australian pavilion from adam smith

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition model image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition foosball tables encompassing the australian pavilion image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition detail of foosball players image © designboom

australian pavilion at the 13th international architecture exhibition this is the last biennale for this australian pavilion. it will soon be replaced with a new structure see designboom’s coverage of denton corker marshall’s pavilion here image © designboom