The 7th edition of the Lisbon Architecture Triennale (Oct 2 – Dec 1, 2025) challenges our understanding of urban weight, sustainability, and infrastructure in the Anthropocene. Through immersive exhibitions, discussions, and experimental formats, the event questions how cities can adapt to environmental crises and redefine their material footprint.
Lisbon, a city of winding alleys and grand plazas, is once again at the center of the global architectural conversation. The 7th edition of the Lisbon Architecture Triennale, running from October 2 to December 1, dives deep into the material weight of urbanization in the Anthropocene.
Curated by Ann-Sofi Rönnskog and John Palmesino, this year’s theme—How Heavy Is a City?—challenges conventional notions of infrastructure, sustainability, and urban life.
Urban landscapes are more than steel and concrete. They consume resources, generate waste, and alter ecosystems.
The Triennale presents a multidisciplinary approach to these pressing issues, featuring three central exhibitions:
The numbers are staggering. The global “technosphere” already contains over 30 trillion metric tons of human-made materials. If cities are to remain habitable, architects and urban planners must rethink how they design, build, and adapt to climate realities.
José Mateus, president of the Triennale, emphasizes the urgency of reevaluating consumption. “Consumerism is one of our biggest challenges,” he notes, stressing the need for cross-disciplinary strategies.
The event’s lineup reflects this ethos: the Millennium bcp University Competition invites young designers to propose new solutions, while independent projects at Palácio Sinel de Cordes push the boundaries of sustainable architecture.
A highlight of the program, the Talk, Talk, Talk series (October 29–31) at the Gulbenkian Foundation will bring together scientists, philosophers, and architects to discuss environmental pressures shaping our cities.
Breaking from traditional exhibition models, the Triennale adopts the Gedankenausstellung (thought-exhibition) format, pioneered by philosopher Bruno Latour. Here, spaces function as laboratories of ideas rather than mere showcases.
Lighter investigates ways to reduce the urban footprint as populations grow, while Specters deconstructs the visual technologies used to measure ecological impact.
With 76 projects selected from an open call, the event fosters collaborations between artists, scientists, and activists, positioning architecture as a mediator between human ambition and planetary limits.
Portugal’s Minister of Culture, Dalila Rodrigues, underscores the Triennale’s relevance in tackling planetary challenges. This year’s edition expands its scope beyond tangible infrastructure, exploring “invisible systems” that shape cities—from logistics networks to orbital debris. The curators pose a striking question: If the technosphere now rivals the biosphere in mass, how do we rethink urban living?
Lisbon’s Triennale is not just about showcasing architecture—it’s a bold call to action. By bringing together diverse voices, it challenges us to imagine new coalitions between architecture, biology, and geopolitics. In a world where the weight of our cities increasingly defines our future, this event reminds us that lightness might be the key to survival.
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