The Fertile Futures project raises questions about the water resources of seven Portuguese hydrogeographies. To think of a fertile, sustainable and fair future

Focusing on seven distinct hydrogeographies, Fertile Futures commissions young architects, in collaboration with experts from other fields of knowledge, to develop proactive models for a more sustainable tomorrow, starting from a non-hierarchical cooperation between disciplines, generations and species.

Because starting a public discussion on the protection, management and future of freshwater is a matter of global interest.

The seven case studies

Focusing on the specificity of the Portuguese territory, these rivers have been chosen as examples of the anthropocentric action on natural and limited water resources: Tâmega, Douro Internacional, Medio Tago, Albufeira do Alqueva, Mira, Lagoa das Sete Cidades and the streams of Madeira.

As the curators point out: "The program proposed by Fertile Futures defends the laboratory dimension of the architectural project in dialogue with other disciplinary areas and the ability to proceed by trying to imagine the future, claiming the contribution of an multidisciplinary, in the design of solutions to emerging issues that tend to go beyond the single field of action of architects”.

The Portuguese representation aims to contribute to the design of more just, inclusive, equitable and diversified futures, but also more fertile ones. For a greener, creative, generous, abundant, positive, productive, responsible, feminine and plural tomorrow.

The seven Design Workshops occupy the seven exhibition halls of Palazzo Franchetti which will conclude with an International Summer Seminar, from 10 to 22 July 2023, in Fundão, a Portuguese municipality deeply affected by water scarcity, theater of fires, desertification and super-intensive agriculture.

Portuguese Pavilion, Biennale 2023, in brief

• Title: Fertile Futures
• Curator: Andreia Garcia
• Additional Curators: Ana Neiva and Diogo Aguiar
• Organizer: Portuguese Ministry of Culture
• Commissioner: Directorate General of the Arts