What if…?/Scotland responds to the Biennale’s theme How will we live together?, seeking to re-engage the civic role of architects and designers by asking citizens from across Scotland to share their hopes and dreams for the future of the places they call home. 7N paired 25 people from 5 places across Scotland with 25 designers, architects, and artists – to share their hopes and dreams for the future of the place where they live. The architects and designers then used these wishes to begin exploring imaginative ideas in response to the community challenges being faced.
About the Exhibition
Participants in Annan workshop, collaborating with Beautiful Materials to explore the High Street. Image by Bash Art Creative
7 April 2021 — Commission Announcement
Commissioned by the Scotland + Venice Partnership On behalf of the Scotland + Venice partnership, Creative Scotland is delighted to announce that Alberta Whittle has been commissioned to develop new work which will be put forward to represent Scotland as a collateral event at the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia at the Arsenale Docks, S. Read more
image: Alberta Whittle by Matthew A Williams
Amanie Ahmed from Dundee, who contributed to the What if…?/Scotland exhibition makes a wish at the Wishing Well. Image by
Neil Hanna Photography
The award-winning exhibition What if…?/Scotland comes to an end at the V&A Dundee on Sunday 21st November, having collected over 10,000 wishes from the people of Scotland and beyond. Commissioned by the Scotland + Venice Partnership, and created by Edinburgh-based 7N Architects, What if…?/Scotland was originally designed as Scotland’s contribution to the 17th International Architecture Biennale in Venice, but due to the pandemic it was redesigned to go on to successfully show at V&A Dundee. Read more
Still from What if film from Wester Hailes by Bash Art Creative
The final of our online public events, in collaboration with V&A Dundee, to support the Scotland + Venice exhibition What if...?/ Scotland, focuses on young people and climate change. Young people today are the generation that will be most affected by climate change. Read more
© Cristiano Corte © British Council
Drawing on creative minds across the world, responses have been wildly different. The urgency of the question sparked ideas and made connections in unexpected and compelling ways. Join us to explore some of these responses, and to hear from some of the curators, architects and creatives that have responded to this year’s theme including the curators of The Garden of Privatised Delights, Entanglement, The Anthropocene Museum: Exhibit 3.0 Obsidian Rain, Lithuanian Space Agency Presents Planet of People and What if…?/Scotland. Read more
Scotland + Venice has commissioned Alberta Whittle to represent Scotland at the 59th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia with an exhibition of new work at the Arsenale Docks, S. Pietro di Castello. Read more
This article by Ewan Anderson, 7N Architects, was originally published in Scotland on Sunday, 12 May 2021. Every two years, architects from countries all over the world exhibit thought-provoking ideas at the Venice Architecture Biennale, and it was a great honour for my practice, 7N Architects, to be commissioned by the Scotland + Venice partnership to represent Scotland in the latest edition of this global festival. Read more
Credit: Bash Art Creative
The need for redesigning how we live is not new. In the face of the climate crisis, more of us are trying to reduce our impact by living more locally, which in turn is helping communities connect and thrive. Read more
New warehouse space at Fruitmarket. Karla Black : sculptures (2001–2021) details for a retrospective 07.07.21–24.10.21
Photo: Tom Nolan
Congratulations to Edinburgh's Fruitmarket which has reopened this week after a £4.3m redevelopment project to refresh its existing galleries and expand into the warehouse space next door. We are delighted that the Fruitmarket launches with a major retrospective exhibition of over 30 works, including some major new commissions, by renowned Scottish sculptor Karla Black. Read more
We are delighted to see the return of Glasgow International with events at venues across Glasgow and online opening today. As our curatorial partners for Scotland + Venice 2022, we have seen first hand the challenges that GI has had to overcome to bring the festival back safely. Read more
