University of Miami Represents US at Venice Biennale
The University of Miami School of Architecture will lead the U.S. Pavilion at the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale with the exhibition 'Earth Craft.'
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Fine Art
The State Department has named the University of Miami School of Architecture to represent the United States at the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale. Germane Barnes and Vyta Pivo will co-curate the pavilion exhibition, titled 'Earth Craft.'
Why it matters
Selection places a Miami institution at one of the world's most prominent architecture exhibitions, bringing international attention to the university's design program. The exhibition's focus on earthen building materials connects local academic work to broader global conversations about sustainable construction.
The State Department awards a $375,000 seed grant, while mounting the exhibition can cost upwards of $1 million, which curatorial teams must largely raise themselves. Final installation design has not been publicly released.
The players
University of Miami School of Architecture
The architecture school of the University of Miami, a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida.
Germane Barnes
An architect and co-curator who previously presented the installation Griot at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale.
Vyta Pivo
A co-curator of the exhibition who is writing a book on the history of the U.S. concrete industry.
The details
The exhibition will examine brick, adobe, rammed earth, and the hands that make them, and is set in a 1930 Palladian-style building in Venice's Giardini. U-SoA students will work with assistant professor Maxwell Jarosz on a courtyard installation that is expected to include raw, earthen materials and fabrication workshops.
Timeline
2023: Germane Barnes presented Griot at the Venice Architecture Biennale.
November 6, 2026: The State Department announced the University of Miami as the U.S. representative.
2027: The Venice Architecture Biennale will feature the 'Earth Craft' U.S. Pavilion.
Industry Dynamics
Barnes's return to the Venice Architecture Biennale after presenting Griot in 2023 extends a pattern of U.S. architects using the international forum to showcase emerging design practices. The 'Earth Craft' pavilion's focus on earthen materials continues a growing emphasis on regional and low-carbon building traditions within the global architecture exhibition circuit.
The 'Earth Craft' pavilion will be presented to visitors at the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale in Venice's Giardini. Design details and visitor information have not yet been released.
The takeaway
The selection shows how university design programs can carry regional expertise onto the world stage. Readers interested in architecture can follow the exhibition as its design details are released ahead of 2027.
Further reading
Explore more Fine Art coverage from Miami.
