Italian studio Carlo Ratti Associati and US firm Höweler + Yoon Architecture have presented their plans for AquaPraça, a floating cultural plaza that physically invites visitors to engage in a dialogue about climate change. The structure will first be presented at the International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia before being transported to the COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
AquaPraça presents itself as a 400-square-metre structure which carves public space out of the sea. Thanks to principles of equilibrium, displacement, and buoyancy, the partially submerged structure adapts to the surrounding water levels, keeping the difference between its surface and the sea to a minimum.
“AquaPraça lets visitors meet the sea at eye level. Its sloping surfaces and shifting levels embody a delicate equilibrium,” says Eric Höweler, co-founder of Höweler + Yoon and a Professor at Harvard University.
The interactiveness between AquaPraça and its surroundings hasn’t been determined at random. The space has been developed as a floating cultural plaza, where up to 150 people will be able to attend exhibitions, workshops, symposia, and cultural events. Climate, architecture and the environment in particular will be its main themes.
“It’s a platform, both literal and figurative, for deepening our collective understanding and experience of sea level rise and the impacts of climate change on global cities and communities and seeking collective solutions,” states J. Meejin Yoon, co-founder of Höweler + Yoon and the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean at Cornell University College of Architecture, Art, and Planning.
AquaPraça is currently being constructed by steel construction company Cimolai in northeastern Italy and is scheduled to be presented at the Biennale on 4 September 2025 – this year’s edition of the event being curated by Carlo Ratti Associati founder Carlo Ratti. It is set to show Italy’s perspective on architecture and the climate.
Life after the Biennale in Venice
In November, the entire structure will be transported to the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, where it will anchor the Italian Pavilion during the summit from 10 to 21 November 2025.
“The concept of a floating forum is truly innovative and aligns perfectly with our vision for COP30. Bringing this structure to Brazil would create a striking and symbolic presence at the conference, highlighting our commitment to sustainability. Moreover, it could serve as a lasting legacy of our joint efforts and a continuous reminder of the importance of sustainability,” says Andre Corrêa do Lago, President of COP30.
After this year’s summit in Belém, the AquaPraça installation will be donated to the Brazilian government and it will serve as a long-term community space promoting civic engagement on climate issues in Belém’s Guarajará Bay.
The project was developed in partnership with Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Italy’s Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. Moreover, it was realised in collaboration with CIHEAM Bari, the World Bank Group’s Connect4Climate program, Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Bloomberg Philanthropy.
