Imagine a world where every building we design becomes a player in the climate crisis—not just a bystander, but an active force shaping our planet’s future. This is the bold idea at the heart of Shaping Climate Objects, an event that promises to challenge how we think about architecture and its role in our changing world. But here’s where it gets controversial: What if the very act of creating architecture is inherently tied to the climate crisis, and not just a response to it? This thought-provoking question is central to the closing discussion and book preview of Climate Work: Un/Worlding the Planet, taking place on November 22, 2025, from 2–4 PM at the stunning Berggruen Arts & Culture—Palazzo Diedo in Venice, Italy (Fondamenta Diedo, Cannaregio 2386, 30121).
Organized by the MIT Department of Architecture in collaboration with Berggruen Arts & Culture, this event is a collateral highlight of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice. It’s not just a discussion—it’s a call to reimagine architecture as a tool for reconfiguring our planet. The accompanying publication, Climate Objects (MIT/SA+P Press, 2026), dives deeper into this vision, offering a preview that’s as much about methods as it is about solutions. And this is the part most people miss: the climate crisis isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a lens through which we must research, design, and relate to the world.
At the core of this event is MIT’s contribution to the Next Earth Exhibition, which features 37 works in progress by MIT faculty. These projects aren’t just designs—they’re speculative explorations of how architecture can reshape material supply chains, energy use, construction practices, and more. Each piece asks: How can architecture actively reimagine and rebuild our world? The objects at the center of these “re-worldings” become the foundation for our discussion and the forthcoming book, Climate Objects.
The panel will include a response from Lionel Devlieger, Associate Professor in Cultural and Material History of Architectural Practice at Ghent University, adding a layer of historical and theoretical depth to the conversation. But here’s the kicker: If architecture is both a cause and a solution to the climate crisis, where do we draw the line? Is it possible to design without impacting the planet? These are the questions we’ll grapple with at Palazzo Diedo.
Join us for a collective reflection on architectures made through, and for, our changing planet. This isn’t just an event—it’s an invitation to rethink the very foundations of design. Do you agree that every architectural project is inherently tied to the climate crisis? Or is there room for neutrality in design? Let’s spark the conversation—see you in Venice!
