According to a report in Arch Daily, the National Pavilion UAE has announced the appointment of Azza Aboualam, an Emirati architect and Assistant Professor at Zayed University, as the curator for the UAE’s participation in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition โ La Biennale di Venezia, scheduled for May 10 to November 23, 2025. Aboualamโs research, focusing on the intersection of architecture and societal memory, will be showcased in the pavilionโs exhibition in Venice, along with a related publication. This role follows her previous experience with the UAE Pavilion, where she interned during the 14th International Architecture Exhibition in 2014.
Aboualam was selected through an open call initiated by the National Pavilion UAE in July 2023. This call, now in its third iteration, encourages professionals from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) regionโincluding architects, designers, artists, historians, and researchersโto submit proposals that highlight untold stories from the UAE’s architectural and cultural heritage. A panel of experts from the UAE’s creative sector reviewed the submissions, ultimately choosing Aboualamโs proposal after an evaluation that included concept proposals and in-person presentations from finalists.
In addition to her academic role, Aboualam is a co-founder of Holesum Studio, an interdisciplinary architecture and design practice operating in New York and Sharjah. (Pic Courtesy Arch Daily)