At the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia, the Ukrainian Pavilion presents “DAKH (ДАХ): Vernacular Hardcore,” an exhibition that investigates how traditional craftsmanship intersects with makeshift construction practices born out of wartime necessity. Centering on the dakh—the Ukrainian word for “roof”—the pavilion considers the roof as both an elemental form of shelter and a symbolic frontline in times of conflict.
The exhibition reflects on the notion of “architecture without architects,” drawing parallels between the enduring vernacular structures of rural Ukraine and the improvised, self-built shelters emerging in response to ongoing aerial threats. These themes speak to a broader architectural narrative shaped by resilience and survival.
Curated by Bögdana Kosmina, Michał Murawski, and Kateryna Rusetska, the pavilion comprises six interrelated installations housed in the Sale d’Armi of the Arsenale, alongside a roving public program titled Planetary Hardcore, which expands the conversation beyond the pavilion’s physical space.
In Ukrainian, “dakh” translates to “roof”—a fundamental architectural element and one of the most essential forms of human shelter. In times of war, however, the roof takes on a dual role: not only as protection but also as the structure most exposed to destruction, often becoming the first target of aerial strikes.
DAKH: Vernacular Hardcore draws a powerful contrast between two modes of building: the heritage vernacular found in traditional Ukrainian rural homes, and the emergency vernacular that arises through improvised, self-directed reconstruction during wartime. In this context, “hardcore” refers not only to resilience but also to the literal foundation material—crushed debris and clinker—used to rebuild amid the ruins.
“We understand ‘hardcore’ in its original sense as a (vernacular) builder’s word, which refers to the assorted bits of debris and clinker that are crunched together to form a building foundation. We appeal for an ethics—and politics—of rebuilding, which is rooted in the fragile, but unyielding, hardcore of the Ukrainian (and planetary) commons; and which makes manifest the structures of care, repair, solidarity—and resistance—that sustain it” explain Bogdana Kosmina, Michał Murawski, Kateryna Rusetska, сurators of the Ukrainian Pavilion.
At the heart of the DAKH exhibition is a striking, reinterpreted form of the traditional Ukrainian roof—a living symbol of vernacular architecture envisioned by architect, artist, and curator Bögdana Kosmina. This sculptural structure draws from The Atlas of Ukrainian Traditional Architecture, a monumental 50-year research project spanning three generations of women architects: Tamara, Oksana, and Bögdana Kosmina.
Rooted in historical knowledge yet shaped by contemporary urgency, this element embodies the belief that post-war reconstruction must not only begin amid ongoing crisis, but also draw wisdom from the adaptive, resourceful practices of emergency vernacular building. It is both a tribute to ancestral know-how and a call to integrate that knowledge into the future of rebuilding.
The exhibition is composed of six distinct elements, each contributing to a layered narrative of heritage, resilience, and contemporary innovation. Alongside DAKH, the showcase features a digital avatar of architect and ethnographer Tamara Kosmina (1936–2016), who dedicated her life to preserving Ukraine’s vernacular architecture through extensive field research. Created using the Iris tool, this AI persona merges advanced technology with cultural legacy, offering a novel way to connect artificial intelligence with traditional knowledge.
The exhibit also highlights the emergency vernacular of war-torn regions such as Chernihiv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia. It presents visual documentation of repair efforts and survival strategies, captured by the reconstruction collectives Livyj Bereh (Ihor Okuniev, Vladyslav Sharapa, and Kseniia Kalmus) and KHARPP (Ada Wordsworth). Additionally, artist and writer Yevgenia Belorusets brings attention to the war’s impact on landscapes in a photographic series that focuses on the critical work of Mykolaiv Water Utility employees.
Finally, the immersive sound installation Drone Canopy, curated by Clemens Poole, draws inspiration from Klyn, a grassroots drone-building initiative led by Kseniia Kalmus, offering a sonic interpretation of modern resilience in the face of conflict.
“Reconstruction makes no sense without security; and security is impossible to obtain without resistance. Over the course of over a decade now, the Ukrainian sky has been continually subjected to the furious wrath of the Russian war machine. Adequate and sustainable air defense systems remain a distant, seemingly out-of-reach horizon. In response, over its thatched, slate, wooden, metal, and concrete roofs, rural and urban, vernacular and prefabricated, Ukrainians are erecting a giant flying and buzzing cocoon—a drone canopy.” write curators Bogdana Kosmina, Michał Murawski, Kateryna Rusetska.
The Planetary Hardcore nomadic program will kick off on 10 May at the Scuola Grande di San Marco in Venice. Its aim is to foster connections between Ukrainian and international collectives by addressing key questions: How does the experience of emergency vernacular vary across war-affected regions? In what ways does wartime “hardcore”—the layered blend of geological, social, and architectural elements—serve as a platform for communal action? And how can collective responses in the face of war be reimagined as sustainable, equitable, and just social settlements?
The Venice Architecture Biennale is organized around three key components: national pavilions, collateral events, and the international exhibition. This year’s edition includes 65 national pavilions, 11 collateral events, and over 750 participants contributing to the international exhibition. Among the other regional pavilions, the Hungarian pavilion presents “Nothing to See Here”, while the Bulgarian pavilion explores the contradictions between artificial intelligence and sustainability.
