(not) for Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
INTELLIGENS PLAY LAB
It is a research and design project by the Architectural Thinking School for Children, created for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 under the title Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective. The project will culminate in a series of street happenings where children will engage in new thematic street games designed by themselves that address current global issues.
How does children's intellect develop mechanisms for solving contemporary global challenges through the universally understood medium of play?
Just a few decades ago, the streets of Venice, like those in many other cities, belonged to children where through the mechanisms of street games they prepared to tackle the problems of their future. We will recreate such a laboratory in Venice creating and playing games which touch on topics such as forced migration, climate change, dictatorship, war, and more.
How does children's intellect develop mechanisms for solving contemporary global challenges through the universally understood medium of play?
Just a few decades ago, the streets of Venice, like those in many other cities, belonged to children where through the mechanisms of street games they prepared to tackle the problems of their future. We will recreate such a laboratory in Venice creating and playing games which touch on topics such as forced migration, climate change, dictatorship, war, and more.
Kira Zakhlestina
LOST in MIGRATION
Emigrants: cross the chalk-drawn line on the asphalt without being caught. Border Guards: prevent the Emigrants from crossing the line, moving only along the drawn line.
Rodion Filonenko, Artur Starkhov, Anton Itskov-Vinnik, Artur Strakhov
DEPRESSIVE DODGEBALL
Two “depressed” players, moving slowly, try to hit non-depressed players with the ball to make them depressed. Non-depressed players must clap their hands. The last non-depressed player has 30 seconds to avoid being hit and win the game.
Davyd Vysotskyi, Artem Senchenkov
(UN)INCLUSIVE BODYBALL
Two players try to knock out the others with a ball. If the ball hits a hand, the player can’t use that hand; if it hits a leg, they must hop on one leg. If the ball hits the head or stomach, the player is out.
Eduard Pestov, Philip Kovalevich
POST-APARTHEID
Two communities must pass a message to each other through a “police zone.” The message first travels through teammates, and then the last player must cross the zone to deliver it. If caught, they go to prison (leave the game). The game is won when the second community shouts the correct message.
Agata Vagapova, Margarita Riazantseva
OBEY!
Tyrant counts with their back to the Citizens. Citizens try to tag the Tyrant while unseen. When the Tyrant turns, Citizens freeze. If anyone moves, the Tyrant has 13 seconds to tag them. If tagged, roles switch. If not, counting starts again.
Iulianna Borisenko
WEARING INEQUALITY
Take off jackets or cardigans. Swap jackets with others. Put on and fully fasten the jacket without using your dominant hand. First three players win.
Ivan Plevko
DICTATOR
Dictator proposes a law. Players vote and split into “for” and “against” teams; the Dictator joins the “for” team. The minority runs to a designated safe zone, chased by the majority. If any are caught, the minority loses.
Philip Kovalevich
RIOT
Protesters run and shout, Police chase and freeze them, 1 Medic revives the frozen. If all Protesters are frozen — Police win. The Medic can’t be touched but can only enter the game at timed intervals based on the size of the space.
Eva Leschenko
POVERTY DICE
Players roll Dixit dice. If they roll two sixes, they can take money from the deck. Other players can steal money from them if they have a higher-value bill. The goal is to collect all the money from the deck, but the game is based purely on luck.
Stepan Plevko
LETTERS to CARLO RATTI
Players lie behind a line, write a message, and on command blow their paper forward. The one that flies farthest toward "Carlo Ratti" (the host) wins — their message is read aloud. All letters will be sent to the real Carlo Ratti.
RESEARCH
The research was conducted by children aged 9-13 as part of the Architectural Thinking School's educational program. Students explored global issues, identified possible solutions, and developed street games based on the selected topics. The outcome of the research is a catalog of new street games titled 'INTELLIGENS PLAY LAB: Game Collection for Venice Biennale 2025.' These games will be played by their creators during the 0+ Happening at the Biennale's opening.
Discussions
Defining Global Issues
Presentations
Discussions
Research
Design
Design
Game Testing
Exploring Biennale
Happening Scenario Development for the Giardini
Happening Scenario for the Giardini
Happening Scenario for the Giardini at the MAC/CCB Exhibition
Team
Alisa Avmochkina, Agata Vagapova, Artur Starkhov, Artem Senchenkov, Anton Itskov-Vinnik, David Vysotsky, Eduard Pestov, Eva Leshchenko, Filipp Kovalevich, Ivan Plevko, Karina Khudyakova, Kira Zakhlyestina, Malaniya Pospelova, Rita Ryazantseva, Rodion Filonenko, Stepan Plevko, Varvara Lomteva, Yulianna Borisenko.
Curated by: Alexander Novikov, Elena Karpilova
Curated by: Alexander Novikov, Elena Karpilova
Support Foreign Pavilion
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Contact
novikov@aschool.by
karpilova@aschool.by
karpilova@aschool.by
Copyright © 2025 ATSFC Association – The Architectural Thinking School for Children
