The Venice Biennale: A Magical Island Inspired by Mexico

Small urban farms in Mexico City, referred to as Chinampas, employ a distinctive farming technique. Rather than transporting water to the land, Chinampas bring the land into the water.

Dating back over 1,000 years, the Chinampas were developed by Aztec farmers who constructed rectangular plots on expansive lakes to cultivate food for Tenochitlan. At one time, tens of thousands of these plots existed, organized in precise grids with narrow canals between them; however, many were damaged or abandoned after Hernan Cortes and his Spanish troops changed the region’s civil structure in 1521.

Yet, the Chinampas in Xochimilco continue to thrive in South Mexico City, despite pressures from developers and competition with industrial farms. The sustainable farming methods are gaining renewed interest amid the challenges of climate change and prolonged drought.

Could other regions around the globe adopt the concept of “floating islands,” as these fields are sometimes termed? A group of Mexican designers, landscapers, and farmers believes that this ancient technology could be adapted widely. They aim to replicate the Chinampas for their country’s pavilion at this year’s Venice Architectural Biennale.

“Chinampas boast a simple, clever design that has emerged collectively, benefiting not just people but all surrounding life,” remarked Lucio Usobia, who has dedicated the last 15 years to preserving the remaining Chinampas through his nonprofit, Arca Tierra.

The Mexican pavilion aligns perfectly with the major exhibition “Intelligent. Natural. Artificial.” The Chinampas are both artificial and organic, thriving only when there’s a close gaze on the rows of corn and inhabited plots, alongside farmers, policymakers, and tourists embarking on popular canoe tours.

Promoting the Chinampas as an eco-friendly design inspiration was an obvious choice for the Biennale, the team members stated. “Venice, built on water, shares vulnerabilities with Xochimilco,” mentioned Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo, the founder of the design company Pedro y Juana.

They highlighted that Venice and Xochimilco were both designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the same year, 1987, and that both places are waterborne communities where boats navigate, striving to balance tourism’s benefits and drawbacks.

Venice boasts its iconic gondolas, while Xochimilco features brightly decorated flat boats, known as trajineras, which take visitors on festive rides. Both types of boats are maneuvered by pilots using long poles.

Creating a replica of the Chinampas on-site required imagination and compromise.

The Aztecs methodically built the islands over time using branches and reeds to establish borders at the bottom. This allowed for layered sediment and decomposed vegetation to accumulate until the islands emerged above the water’s surface for cultivation. In addition to crops like corn, beans, and squash, traditional agricultural methods known as milpas are also utilized to naturally enrich soil nutrients by planting trees at the island’s corners.

The Mexican pavilion is situated in the Biennale’s Arsenale complex, featuring a scaled-down version at a mere fraction of the typical 500 square meters (0.12 acres) of a traditional Chinampa. A video produced in Mexico City, showcasing authentic Chinamperos, enhances the exhibition, complemented by bleacher seating along the walls. Artificial light simulates sunlight for the plants.

At the center lies a functional garden filled with vegetables, flowers, and herbs. (The plants originated from Italian nurseries and were transported by boat to the Arsenale in mid-April.) They will be in full bloom during the Biennale, which runs until November 23rd.

“By the end of the Biennale, we can harvest corn and make tortillas,” Usobia shared. “Before that, we can gather beans, squash, tomatoes, and chili.”

Visitors will have a chance to learn about unique seed cultivation techniques specific to Chinampas and even plant their seedlings by themselves.

Acknowledging local agricultural practices, Chinampas will also incorporate a version of Vite Maritata, an ancient Etruscan method that involves planting grapes alongside trees, thus creating a natural trellis system for the grapes. The exhibition team is investigating the synergy between these two agricultural immersion methods, blending trees and crops into a cohesive ecosystem.

“We observe a dialogue between these ancient cultures and discuss how we can progress,” noted Usobia.

The exhibition team emphasized their intention to avoid overly romanticizing the Chinampas, acknowledging the challenges of scaling practices to feed today’s population. The farms thrive in Mexico City because they are situated in a lake, allowing for manageable water control levels. In contrast, Venice, located in a lagoon adjacent to the sea, faces constant threats from flooding.

Additionally, the economics of small farms are challenging, with high production costs and low yields making profitability difficult. Many farmworkers receive inadequate wages and the repetitive nature of planting and harvesting jobs has diminished their appeal.

“This is a significant concern here. Young people, in particular, are less inclined to work on Chinampa farms,” stated Maria Maria de Buen, the graphic designer for the team.

Indeed, many Chinampas in Xochimilco lie fallow as their owners struggle to make a living. Some have been repurposed into soccer fields for community rental, while others serve as venues for events like weddings and birthday parties. Despite official restrictions against development, cattle grazing, and hunting for endangered species, such activities occur frequently.

Still, the team perceives the crucial connection between nature and urban development, advocating for the integration of existing water resources within residential and educational spaces as essential inspiration. Architects visiting the Biennale may not be able to design extensive agricultural landscapes, but they can adapt existing conditions to replicate ideas on a smaller scale, suggested Jachen Schleich, principal of the Mexico City architectural firm Dellekamp + Schleich.

“If someone executes this in their backyard, they could at least feed their family, or the people on the fourth floor of their building. It could serve as a micro-intervention in a landscape or public space.”