Ukraine has officially opened its national pavilion at the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale with the evocative exhibition “DAKH: Vernacular Hardcore”, dedicated to the themes of home, war, loss, and reconstruction. The opening ceremony featured First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska, who presented the project to the international audience.
Representing Ukraine’s Ministry for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development, First Deputy Minister Alyona Shkrum opened the pavilion on behalf of Minister Oleksii Kuleba.
“This year, our pavilion is more sincere, deep, and full of light than ever before. It is architecture of resistance. Architecture of memory. Architecture of the future,” she said during her remarks.
The Biennale’s 2025 theme — “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective” — provided a framework for the Ukrainian pavilion’s concept. At its heart stands a traditional thatched roof, crafted from reeds harvested in the Odesa region. Once typically sourced from Kherson, the material had to be relocated due to Russia’s invasion. The roof becomes a potent symbol: not just shelter or structure, but a metaphor for memory, fragility, and resilience.
“The word ‘dakh’ can’t really be translated into English,” said Shkrum. “‘Roof’ or ‘ceiling’ don’t fully capture what it means to Ukrainians during war. It’s about home, protection, loss, and the power of rebuilding.”
Shkrum also emphasized the scale of destruction in Ukraine: over 2.5 million homes, schools, and public buildings have been damaged or destroyed—roughly the equivalent of 14 Venices. Yet the country rebuilds: in Kyiv region alone, more than 21,000 out of 30,000 damaged sites have already been restored through the joint efforts of the Ministry, the State Restoration Agency, local authorities, architects, volunteers, and NGOs.
“This pavilion is also a gesture of gratitude to all those who are helping Ukrainians regain a roof over their heads,” Shkrum noted.
The commissioner of the Ukrainian pavilion is Tetiana Filevska, creative director of the Ukrainian Institute, who curated the exhibition with a focus on Ukraine’s architectural vernacular as a site of cultural resistance and recovery.
