Biennale Architecture 2025: Hemp as a sustainable and innovative material in architecture

An installation made of hemp, specially designed for the “Biennale Architecture 2025”, will allow visitors to explore the applications of this ancient plant in architecture and various human activities over the past 2,000 years.

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the Humanitas360 Institute, in partnership with architect Pedro Mendes da Rocha and the Ficus Institute, will be present at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, exhibiting raw material made from the cannabis variant, without psychoactive properties.

The installation directly engages with the theme “Intelligens”, proposed by curator Carlo Ratti. The project aims to connect intelligence and innovation to address the urgent challenges of the climate crisis, exemplifying how adaptation to the environment can occur with limited resources. It combines tradition and innovation, offering a new perspective on the use of industrial hemp in contemporary architecture.

Hemp in architecture and its environmental value

Hemp has been used throughout history in various areas, such as food production and the textile industry. In the 21st century, hemp reemerges as a sustainable building material, through hemp concrete, a concrete made from plant fibers that offers unique properties: lightweight, excellent thermal and acoustic insulation, moisture resistance, and great construction adaptability.

In addition to these construction characteristics, hemp stands out for its positive environmental impact. During cultivation, the plant sequesters large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂), and hemp concrete continues to absorb CO₂ throughout its use, thanks to the carbonation process.

Venice and hemp: a connected history

By bringing the constructive and ecological potential of hemp to Venice, the Humanitas360 Institute reflects on the past while imagining the future. The Corderie dell'Arsenale, where part of the event takes place, has a historical connection to hemp, used to produce ropes and ship sails since the 15th century. This material played a vital role in Venice's rise as a maritime and commercial power.

The 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale will be open to the public from May 10 to November 23, 2025, offering a unique opportunity to explore hemp as a sustainable architectural solution.

With information from Humanitas360