ABU DHABI, 30th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The National Pavilion UAE has announced the appointment of architect, educator and researcher Dalia Hamati as curator of the UAE’s participation at the 20th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia in 2027, which will take place from 8th May to 21st November.
Developed in collaboration with UAE-based researchers and practitioners, Hamati’s research will investigate the relationship between architecture, climate and water, exploring how design might reshape the ways water is understood in a warming, urbanising world. The research will be presented in Venice and accompanied by a dedicated publication.
Hamati was selected through an open call launched by the National Pavilion UAE, the fourth of its kind. Open to architects, designers, artists, historians and researchers with academic or professional experience across the UAE and the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) regions, the call sought proposals that uncover overlooked stories from the UAE.
Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, said the Ministry of Culture is committed to supporting the UAE's architects, designers and researchers and furthering their contributions to global conversations informed by the local and regional context.
Sheikh Salem said Hamati's work is deeply connected to the UAE, adding that the exhibition reflects the spirit of innovation and creativity in the country.
Angela Migally, Executive Director at the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, said the Foundation, as commissioner of the National Pavilion UAE, remains committed to supporting the UAE’s creative and cultural ecosystem and providing a platform for ideas and conversations that connect local perspectives with wider global contexts.
She added that the exhibition's exploration of the UAE’s relationship with water and climate engages with questions that resonate both locally and internationally, contributing to broader dialogue around a shared environmental future.
Hamati said the exhibition grows from a deep engagement with the UAE's relationship with water, climate and the built environment.
She said meaningful contributions to global conversations are grounded in a careful understanding of place, expressing hope that the exhibition will encourage new ways of thinking about architecture's role in shaping a more resilient future.
Laila Binbrek, Director of the National Pavilion UAE, said Hamati's proposal stood out for its combination of architectural history, environmental research and design innovation.
She added that bringing the UAE’s distinctive relationship with water and climate into dialogue with the wider world demonstrates how locally rooted research can offer meaningful perspectives on global challenges.
Hamati is a New York State-registered architect and Assistant Professor at the American University of Sharjah’s College of Architecture, Art and Design. Her work investigates how architecture can contribute to the regeneration of ecological systems, drawing inspiration from the UAE’s responses to environmental challenges.
The National Pavilion UAE will present its exhibition at the UAE's permanent pavilion at the Arsenale – Sale d'Armi. The Biennale Architettura 2027 will mark the UAE’s 16th participation at the International Art and Architecture Exhibitions organised by La Biennale di Venezia and its seventh participation in the International Architecture Exhibition.
The 20th International Architecture Exhibition is organised by La Biennale di Venezia under the title “Do Architecture - For the Possibility of Coexistence Facing a Real Reality,” curated by Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu.
The National Pavilion UAE is commissioned by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and supported by the Ministry of Culture.