Volcanic landscapes make geological change unusually visible. Lava hardens into new ground, and plants slowly take hold across it. Ash can remain in the landscape for years. Around active volcanoes, these processes are still underway, affecting where and how people build.
Yet these landscapes continue to attract houses and places of retreat. Their isolation and unusual terrain are often part of the appeal. Building there means bringing everyday life into a landscape that can still change.
Iceland presents the Lavaforming at its National Pavilion for the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. Led by architect Arnhildur Pálmadóttir, founder of s.ap architects, the pavilion is commissioned by Halla Helgadóttir, Iceland Design and Architecture. Lavaforming envisions a provocative and speculative future in which the elemental force of lava is no longer seen solely as a natural hazard but instead embraced as a generative, architectural medium. By harnessing and directing controlled lava flows, the project explores the potential of molten rock to shape urban environments, transforming destruction into construction. Through a series of physical experiments and research-driven installations, Lavaforming demonstrates how this often-feared geological phenomenon could become a renewable and expressive material in the creation of future cities.
Bee Breeders have announced the winners of the Nemrut Volcano Eyes Competition, where participants were tasked with designing a visitor observation platform on top of Nemrut, a dormant volcano in eastern Turkey. With the unique natural environment, including a caldera and a pair of lakes, the observation platform is intended to provide unobstructed views of the extraordinary landscape. The jury encouraged submissions that were cost-effective, environmentally-responsible, and energy-efficient.
Below are the winners of the competition:
