May 8–November 21, 2027
Venice
Italy
The National Pavilion UAE announces the appointment of architect, educator and researcher Dalia Hamati as curator of the UAE’s participation at the 20th International Architecture Exhibition. Developed in collaboration with UAE-based researchers and practitioners, Hamati’s research will be presented in Venice and accompanied by a dedicated publication.
Dalia Hamati is a New York State-registered architect and Assistant Professor at the American University of Sharjah’s College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD). She is the founder of a Dubai-based independent architecture and design practice dedicated to exploring equitable and contextually grounded approaches to the built environment. Her work investigates how architecture can contribute to the regeneration of ecological systems, drawing inspiration from the UAE’s ongoing responses to environmental challenges.
Hamati’s proposal learns from historical UAE models to investigate the relationship between architecture, climate, and water, exploring how design might reshape the ways we understand water in a warming, urbanizing world.
Selected through an open call launched by the National Pavilion UAE, the fourth of its kind, Hamati’s proposal was chosen by a committee of experts from the UAE’s creative sector, including representatives from universities, museums, and government. 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 open call seeks proposals that uncover overlooked stories from the UAE.
Dalia Hamati, Curator, said: "It is an honor to be selected as curator of the forthcoming exhibition at the Architecture Biennale 2027. I am deeply grateful to the National Pavilion UAE for supporting research-led practice and for the opportunity to present the work at the Venice Biennale. This exhibition grows from a deep engagement with the UAE's own relationship to water, climate and the built environment, and I believe the most meaningful contributions to global conversations are those grounded in a careful understanding of place. I hope the exhibition and the ideas presented encourage new ways of thinking about architecture's role in shaping a more resilient future.”
Laila Binbrek, Director, National Pavilion UAE, said: “The National Pavilion UAE is committed to supporting original research that offers new perspectives on the UAE’s architecture and its place in global conversations. Dalia’s proposal stood out for its thoughtful combination of architectural history, environmental research and design innovation. By bringing the UAE’s distinctive relationship with water and climate into dialogue with the wider world, her work demonstrates how locally rooted research can offer meaningful perspectives on global challenges.”
The National Pavilion UAE will present its exhibition at the 20th International Architecture Exhibition from May 8 to November 21, 2027 (pre-opening on May 6 and 7), in the UAE's permanent pavilion at the Arsenale – Sale d'Armi.
The Architecture Biennale 2027 will mark the UAE’s sixteenth participation at the International Art and Architecture Exhibitions organized by La Biennale di Venezia, and its seventh participation in the International Architecture Exhibition.
The National Pavilion UAE is commissioned by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture and has a permanent pavilion at Venice Biennale’s Arsenale – Sale d’Armi.
About Dalia Hamati
(b. 1984, Sharjah, UAE; lives in Dubai and works in Sharjah, UAE)
Dalia Hamati is a New York State-registered architect and educator based in the UAE, working at the intersection of social and ecological systems. Through reciprocity between teaching and her independent architecture practice, she advances regenerative design frameworks that foreground ecology as an active agent in shaping urban futures. Hamati holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a BSc in General Architectural Studies from the University of Bath. She has taught at Columbia University and Pratt Institute, and is currently Assistant Professor at the American University of Sharjah’s Department of Architecture. Prior to returning to the UAE, she practiced architecture at Ennead Architects in New York, where her contributions to award-winning research and advocacy work have been widely exhibited. She has been appointed curator of the National Pavilion UAE at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2027.
For press inquiries, please contact Florian Vanicatte at florian@sendreceive.eu and press@nationalpavilionuae.org.
