Cover The Rolex Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia
The Rolex Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia
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At the 2025 Biennale Architettura, Rolex continues its architectural dialogue by blending heritage, sustainability and human ingenuity
Since its founding in 1980, the International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia has become one of the most significant stages for global architectural thought; a space where ideas meet craftsmanship, and where the future of the built world is imagined, debated and shaped. Rooted in Venice’s deep artistic heritage, the Biennale Architettura, which is held in the Italian city every other year, continues to champion the power of culture to address contemporary challenges, from environmental resilience to urban regeneration.
It is within this cultural landscape that Rolex, through its Perpetual Arts Initiative, deepens its long‑standing engagement with the arts. Established as a platform to support excellence across disciplines, from music to cinema, literature, dance and architecture, the Initiative is rooted in the belief that artistry, like timekeeping, is a pursuit of enduring value. As the Exclusive Partner and Official Timepiece of the Biennale Architettura since 2014, Rolex contributes not only patronage but also perspective—connecting tradition and innovation, heritage and progress. This year’s edition runs from May 10 to November 23, and is curated by acclaimed Italian architect and engineer Carlo Ratti. Titled Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective, the exhibition explores how architecture can evolve in response to a changing climate and an increasingly interconnected world.
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Above Nigerien architect Mariam Issoufou
Nigerien architect Mariam Issoufou
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Anchoring Rolex’s presence is the newly conceived Rolex Pavilion, which translates the brand’s values into architectural form while participating in a broader conversation on sustainability and craft. Designed by talented international architect Mariam Issoufou, the pavilion reflects a layered vision of sustainability and cultural continuity, reflecting the identity of the brand and its philosophy of sustainability that stems from creating watches that are made to last.
Issoufou, whose practice spans Niger’s capital of Niamey, Zurich and New York, approached the project with a distinctly intersectional vision of sustainability; one that goes beyond environmental factors to encompass social, cultural and economic considerations. Her design champions the artisanal traditions of Venice, from the façade constructed from recycled wood and that evokes the distinctive fluted bezel of many of Rolex’s iconic watches, to the ethereal translucent, coloured ceiling crafted by Murano glassmakers. The terrazzo flooring, speckled with recycled “Cottisso” crushed glass (a by‑product of glassmaking, a long‑standing tradition in Venice), nods to the city’s enduring material culture while simultaneously speaking to modern methods of reuse and circular design.
Above Murano glass artisans
Murano glass artisans
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This exhibition space not only showcases the process of its own making, but also engages in a broader conversation on architecture’s role in renewal and community through a variety of displays. A highlight is a documentary by Lebanese Armenian architect Arine Aprahamian—mentored by French Pritzker Prize laureate Anne Lacaton through the Rolex Perpetual Arts Initiative—that explores how small and strategic interventions can improve daily life in Beirut’s dense Bourj Hammoud neighbourhood, where she grew up. It is an intimate, grounded study that resonates with the Biennale’s overarching call for collective intelligence and sustainable futures.
Rolex’s dialogue with architecture extends beyond its participation in the Biennale Architettura, and this is showcased through samples of materials and two films displayed in the pavilion that explore the brand’s exquisite craftsmanship in the refurbishment of two boutiques in Milan and Tokyo. The recent restoration of its boutique in Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II celebrates Italian craft with Venetian terrazzo, bespoke furnishings and a contemporary reimagining of the gallery’s original architecture. Meanwhile, in Tokyo, the Rolex Tower’s façade—designed by the French‑born, Japan‑based designer Gwenael Nicolas and featuring Kyoto‑made metal mesh embedded in glass—offers a double bezel pattern that changes with the viewer’s perspective. Both spaces are quiet declarations of architectural intent, rooted in place yet unmistakably global in sophistication.
Above The Rolex boutique in Tokyo, Japan
The Rolex boutique in Tokyo, Japan
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This synergy between timekeeping and architecture is no accident. Both disciplines demand a mastery of form and function, and both—at their best—create enduring value. The Rolex Perpetual Arts Initiative, under which the brand’s architectural partnerships sit, is not about ephemeral gestures but instead, long‑term investment in the transmission of knowledge, tradition and craft. Just as a Rolex watch is built to last generations, so, too, is the brand’s commitment to cultural stewardship.
Credits
Images: Rolex
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Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
