Repair (book project)

BACKGROUND: The 'Repair' book project by Mauro Baracco and Louise Wright is a creative work in the form of a curated publication based on the Australian Pavilion at the 16th International Architecture Biennale. It is 1 of 3 components of the broader 'Repair' project - the other components being the curation of the exhibition and the installation design which formed the centrepiece. The book comprises 2 parts: while one part of the book is designed as an exhibition catalogue, it is preceded by a curated presentation of scholarly texts - one of which was written by Barraco and Wright - that expands upon notions of repair. CONTRIBUTION: The textual communication of ideas through the book is a critical component of the broader 'Repair' project. It plays a primary (rather than supplementary) role in the conception and design of the Exhibition. The texts were authored by practitioners and researchers in architecture, landscape architecture, art, urban design, ecology and indigenous culture, to spur collective thinking and open up architectural discourse to other forms of repair: cultural, economic, social and health. As Creative Directors of 'Repair', Baracco and Wright envisioned the book as a stand-alone work beyond the conventions of the exhibition catalogue, and viewed their role in the production of the book as one of curatorship. This project is a continuation of Baracco's practice-led research in the integration of urban and natural ecologies. SIGNIFICANCE: The book was published by Actar (Barcelona and New York) and the Australian Institute of Architects for the Venice Architecture Biennale - arguably the most important global gathering of the built environment, attracting more than 220,000 visitors from around the world during its six month duration. Actar is a specialist publisher in architecture and landscape urbanism; it has also disseminated the book as a series of videos of interviews with authors and exhibitors through the digital platform UrbanNext.