Norwich Unviersity's School of Architecture + Art faculty member, Tolya Stonorov shared the following from installing the department's exhibit at the Venice Biennale: 

Our exhibit, an 18’ x 5' wall panel with wood models of each case study project cantilevered from the wall, focuses on HOUSING: FINDING DENSITY IN EXISTING SMALL TOWN BUILT FABRIC. The event will take place in Venice, Italy, from May through November, and draws roughly 350,000 visitors annually. 

3rd year architecture students Jade Jimenez and Mykel Fungi interned on the exhibit and were instrumental to the production and completion of the project (and were incredible partners).  Fourteen other students worked with Zach Seibold to fabricate the site models out of local solid wood as part of their class. Eleanor D’Aponte produced the exquisite site mappings of Venice and Montpelier on the first panel. I am so incredibly grateful for these collaborations.

The exhibit was generously funded by the Provost’s Office, COPS, SoA+A as well as multiple individual donors, see below. Research leading up to this exhibit was generously supported by Faculty Development.  I am VERY grateful for their support.

Here is a description of the exhibit theme:

Architecture as an Agent of Environmental and Social Repair

This year’s iteration of the show moves beyond merely questioning how to build more sustainably; it seeks to showcase tangible applications, seeing architecture as a force for environmental and social repair. The projects presented go further than theoretical discussions, offering tangible, real-world strategies rooted in adaptive reuse, material innovation, and community-led initiatives. From the transformation of existing structures to projects that reconnect communities with their cultural and ecological heritage, the works on display demonstrate how architecture can actively contribute to healing and regeneration. Alongside built projects and practical solutions, the exhibition embraces speculative proposals, academic research, and visionary concepts that imagine bold new futures. These contributions challenge conventional boundaries and present architecture as a discipline capable of driving systemic, positive change — fostering dialogue on how we can move towards a more regenerative, equitable, and resilient world. 

It is also quite wonderful to see that we are in very good company among the other exhibit participants who include: MVRDV, Harvard GSD, Northwestern University, Pratt Institute, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Morgan State University and Harvard University among many others.

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS: RICHARD AND MARY JANE HAYDEN  NORWICH’68, JACK BERGQUIST, AIAVT, SIDEHILL DESIGN AND TRUEX CULLINS

SPECIAL THANKS TO NORWICH UNIVERSITY: THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE + ART, THE COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS, THE NORWICH DEVELOPMENT OFFICE: JULIE GUTGSELL, DAVE CASEY, PROVOST GAINES, PRESIDENT BROADMEADOW, ARON TEMKIN, TIM PARKER, JASON GALLIGAN BALDWIN, ELEANOR D’APONTE AND CARA ARMSTRONG AND FACULTY DEVELOPMENT.