At the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2021, the American Pavilion held an exhibition to explore the universality and aesthetic power of wooden architecture in American architecture. The pavilion was commissioned by the University of Illinois at Chicago and organized by the curators Paul Anderson and Paul Presner to showcase wood-frame buildings, the most common building system in the United States, and one of the most important contributions to architectural practice in the United States. . The exhibition is titled "American Framework" and aims to highlight mostly neglected architectural elements in historical and contemporary discourse through newly commissioned photos, models and on-site responsive furniture. In addition, a huge installation activates the entrance of the Neoclassical American Pavilion in Venice. Read more about the exhibition below and the history of American wooden architecture.

Chicago Lumberyard, 1870. The photographer is unknown. The main image is provided by the Chicago Museum of History. The main image is provided by the National Archives and Records Administration.

Although wooden structures were popular among Europeans who settled in the United States, it really took off in the early 19th century. The Industrial Revolution brought railroads and other transportation options, which meant that the country’s growing towns and population had easy access to large quantities of wood and artificial nails. Citizens with limited wealth and technical skills regard cork construction as a relatively fast, simple and easy-to-use construction method.

Piles of wood, Seattle Cedar Factory, Ballard, 1958, photo by Webster and Stevens. Digital Collection: Historical Museum and Industrial Photo Collection. Provided by the American Pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition – la biennale di venezia

In the 1830s, wooden frames were replaced by "balloon" frames-this technique used many lightweight "bolts" instead of heavier "pillar" supports. Compared with wooden frames built by skilled craftsmen, balloon frames are simply nailed together instead of using joinery to install. Another difference between the two methods is that the balloon frame uses longer wood, extending from the foundation to the top of the second floor of the building.

Balloon frame shown in Odell's Carpenter and Builder's Guide © 1923. Courtesy of the American Pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition-la biennale di venezia

An early example is George Washington Snow’s balloon-frame warehouse, which paved the way for churches, barns, shops, and the most common type of timber construction-American houses. The large number of southern pine and Douglas pine forests, simple and quick construction, and the ability to be constructed by low-skilled or unskilled workers make wood frames, especially balloon frames, very suitable for the growing economy and population of the Midwestern United States.

Wartime housing in Erie, Pennsylvania, 1941. Photo by al palmer, courtesy of the Library of Congress

Although very popular when long materials were abundant, balloon frames were gradually replaced by platform frames in the 1920s. Although similar to the balloon frame, the platform frame uses a shorter length of wood because each floor of the building is constructed separately and placed on top of the floor below, without the need for scaffolding. When the balloon wall column extends from the foundation to the rafters on the second floor, the wall of the platform frame is independent for each floor.

Omaha Reservation, Nebraska, 1877. Photography: william h. Jackson, courtesy of the US Pavilion at the 17th Venice Biennale

The platform frame is still the standard wood frame method today. In fact, more than 90% of new houses in the United States are made of wood. The exhibition "American Framework" at the American Pavilion will discuss cork structures in detail. The exhibition’s curators Paul Andersen and Paul Presner pointed out that the accessibility of the early development of shaping wood frames continues to influence contemporary life and reflect democratic ideals. For example, although wood frames are used in buildings of all sizes and styles, the 2x4 used in their construction always has the same quality.

Example of a platform frame of a house under construction in Katy, Texas | High resolution stock photo | CLIPARTO Image courtesy of jaksmata, CC BY-SA 3.0

The curator said that despite the ubiquity of wood frames, or perhaps because it is ubiquitous, it is still one of the most overlooked architectural contributions in the country. Since the beginning of the 19th century, the properties of cork have allowed this material to be developed and improved in a variety of different ways, opening up a range of potential uses and creating a truly diverse building type. The exhibition explores this period of history while considering the potential development trajectory of cork architecture in the future.

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Visitors to the American Pavilion in Venice will see a four-story installation (see picture above) that forms the new facade and entrance of the historic pavilion. Half of this timber-framed house encloses the courtyard of the pavilion and provides space for thinking and conversation. By immediately introducing the wood structure world outside the pavilion, the curator encourages visitors to experience first-hand the structural methods behind most buildings in the United States.

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Inside, two types of works are exhibited in the gallery of the pavilion: new commissioned photos by Daniel Shea and Chris Strong telling about the labor, culture and materials of cork architecture, and a series of scale models by University students study and design the Chicago Institute of Architecture, Illinois, to introduce the history of wood frames. Elsewhere, two sets of on-site responsive furniture designed by aniajawoorska and norman kelley-made of regular-sized wood-were installed in the courtyard.

Paul Anderson and Paul Pressner. Photograph by Chris Strong, courtesy of the US Pavilion at the 17th Venice Biennale

“We hope to work with a special American theme and open up new possibilities for design,” said Paul Andersen, co-curator of the US Pavilion. “The exhibition will review the history of wooden structures and speculate that if we limit or exaggerate the system itself, the building may be different.” Paul Presner, co-curator and commissioner of the United States Pavilion, added: “By combining the entire The exhibition invests in wood frames-the great forgotten foundation of American architecture-and our display at this year's biennale will elevate a form of architecture that is often overlooked or overlooked."

The exhibition is accompanied by a website, an Instagram and a 136-page book. The 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale will open to the public on May 22, and the exhibition will last until November 21, 2021. Please follow designboom’s ongoing reports on this event here.

Name: American Frame Location: American Pavilion, Giardini, Venice Event: The 17th International Architecture Exhibition-Venice Biennale

Project team-commissioner/curator: paul andersen and paul preissner exhibitors: ania jaworska, norman kelley, daniel shea, chris strong and UIC architecture students: emory alba, kassandra alvarez, alondra ayala, hannah bernas, kenda blanks, sama ,rice. Lorenz Cordova, Luna Vettel Gallego, Nathan Golinski, Ronald Hall, Aesop Hernandez, Xia Horford, Andrew Hunt, Andrew Huss, Jeffrey Jacobs, Colin Jacha, Nash Kennedy, Tina Clark, Riley Kirujak, Suy Lee, Reznafira Hamcourt Ni Muhi, Martin Mulengi, Keira Oliver, Jamilus Olar, Jacob Patnold, Sam Piombino, Megan Quigley, Marlowe Leah Rabeneck, Ricardo Sandoval, Jocelyn Schneider, Cody Schuler, Martina Smith, Leah Thompson, Julia Trualzanjani

Graphic design: joe gilmore web development: richard cool project manager: judith de jong project architect: draw stanley project management: adriann anderson executive architect in venice: giacomo di thiene structural engineer: goodfriend magruder structure, LLC special project coordinator, peggy guggenheim Series: chiara barbieri Communication: resnicow and associates Building services: impresa edile francesco minto snc,grosso srl

The formation of the U.S. framework benefited from the cooperation of the Educational and Cultural Affairs Administration (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State, the National Foundation for the Arts, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Solomon River. The Guggenheim Foundation's US framework is provided by: Alphawood Foundation, HDR, Glen-gery Corporation/brickworks, Graham Foundation. Additional support: Thornton Tomasetti Foundation, Joseph and Maryburns, Brooklyn Printworks

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