An adaptable greenhouse assembly that explored food, community and resilience in arid landscapes.

Originally commissioned for the National Pavilion UAE at the Biennale Architettura 2025, Pressure Cooker investigated the evolving relationship between architecture and food production in the United Arab Emirates, experimenting with innovative solutions at both individual and community scales. With climate change disrupting agricultural systems, traditional farming methods faced mounting threats, from soil degradation to temperature extremes.

This iteration of the exhibition presented a different take on the research project’s outcome: contextual greenhouse assemblies. These assemblies, offering various interpretations of the kit-of-parts, not only responded to the UAE’s hot arid climate, but also corresponded to the food categories they were intended to grow. The greenhouse’s architectural vocabulary was broken down into basic elements – roof, wall, floor, tools, shade and materials – which were mixed and matched to create multiple scenarios of input, output and assembly. The space also featured a selection of crops, ranging from historically significant varieties to those most readily available in the UAE, such as cucumbers.

Throughout the installation, visitors were invited to reimagine the architectural components of the greenhouse, its interaction with plants and humans, and the creation of space in arid environments. This journey, complemented by video content, guided visitors through the project’s phases alongside the research team during fieldwork and experimentation. The Dubai iteration was developed with curatorial and design assistance from Noor Hamdan.

About National Pavilion UAE – La Biennale di Venezia:

The National Pavilion UAE is an award-winning pavilion that curates untold stories about the UAE’s arts and architecture through its participation in the International Art and Architecture Exhibitions organized by La Biennale di Venezia.

In parallel with its exhibitions in Venice, the National Pavilion UAE engages with communities in the UAE to support the growth of the local cultural and creative industries, through public programming, professional opportunities and the Venice Internship program it offers.


The National Pavilion UAE is an independent non-profit organization, commissioned by the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and supported by the UAE Ministry of Culture.