Majlis is a word that originated in pre-islamic arabia and is traditionally a place where people come together to discuss local events and issues, exchange news, socialize, and deepen their connection with each other.

In venice, the structure designed by acclaimed bamboo architects Simón Vélez and Stefana Simic responds directly to the biennale’s theme — ‘How will we live together?’ — by inviting visitors to gather for a variety of workshops, exhibitions, and concerts.

‘What we are trying to make is a place for learning — for many people, from many places of the world, and for many different ages,’ says Vélez.

The Majlis embodies the values and mission of Caravane Earth, the foundation behind the project that champions and preserves craftsmanship and vernacular architecture through carefully sourced materials, ethical production, and community initiatives.

The Majlis comprises a portable frame, designed by Simón Vélez and Stefana Simic, that has been made entirely from bamboo.

'It’s 10 meters long and 8 meters wide,’ explain the architects. ‘All the joinery is meant for easy disassembly.’

This includes the floor, which, along with the rest of the structure, has been wrapped in textiles handwoven in the atlas mountains of Morocco by a women’s collective from Ain Leuh and Ahmed Chmiti’s Boujad tribe cooperative.

Using bamboo and wool, two of the most renewable materials on earth, the Majlis has been handmade on two different continents.

However, as the craftspeople that originally produced the Majlis could not travel as a result of the pandemic, the construction has been assembled with the involvement of local Venetian artisans.

In the gardens of the Abbazia Di San Giorgio Maggiore, the structure is surrounded by a garden planted by landscape architect Todd Longstaffe-Gowan.

Here, a natural exhibition of wildflowers from central and Mediterranean European regions has been planted under the direction of royal palace gardeners from the United Kingdom.

Once the biennale concludes, the garden will remain in place as a gift to Venice.

Meanwhile, an exhibition inside the abbey contextualizes the Majlis, featuring the people and materials involved in its construction. a wide range of objects and craftsmanship is presented, some associated with nomadic peoples and others highlighting the exchange between east and west.

From concept development to harvesting bamboo and processing wool, the monastery’s hall displays the resources, raw materials, and innovative steps made in constructing the Majlis.

A separate room displays a whole village of which the majlis is the first part.

Featuring the development of Caravane’s mobile architecture and master planning, this ‘Art village’ in the desert is meant to be built, assembled, and dismantled by hand using natural materials.

The Majlis was inscribed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in 2015 as ‘A cultural and social space’.

This list aims to ensure better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.