A groundbreaking floating cultural plaza called AquaPraça has been launched in Venice as a revolutionary platform for global climate dialogue, designed to adapt to rising sea levels through innovative technology and natural intelligence. Developed by CRA Carlo Ratti Associati and Höweler + Yoon, this ambitious project represents a new approach to climate-responsive architecture that will serve as Italy's centerpiece at the upcoming COP30 climate summit in Brazil.
The floating structure spans over 400 square meters and features a series of sloping surfaces integrated with adaptive systems that respond to changing environmental conditions. Using sensors, responsive technologies, and the Archimedes principle, the submersible platform automatically adjusts its buoyancy in real-time as water levels fluctuate. The plaza works by holding and releasing water to maintain minimal difference between its surface and the sea level, ensuring visitors can experience being at eye level with the ocean and gain immediate, physical perspectives on climate change realities.
Originally unveiled as models at the main exhibition of the 19th Venice Architecture Biennale, AquaPraça made its full public debut on September 5th, 2025, in Venice during the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The project is presented by Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, working in partnership with the COP30 Presidency. During its Venice debut, visitors experienced the platform's sloping surfaces and responsive water-balancing systems firsthand, immersing themselves in the shifting equilibrium that defines the structure.
Currently under construction by Cimolai in northeastern Italy, AquaPraça is designed to accommodate over 150 people simultaneously and will serve multiple functions as a cultural and educational space. From November 10th to 21st, 2025, the floating plaza will be anchored in Belém, the Amazonian city hosting COP30, where it will function as the centerpiece of Italy's pavilion. During the climate summit, the structure will host exhibitions, workshops, and symposia focused on climate dialogue and environmental solutions.
"In 1979, Aldo Rossi launched the Teatro del Mondo at the first Biennale Architettura, positing that architecture could engage with the past," explained Carlo Ratti, curator of the 2025 Biennale and co-founder of CRA. "Today, AquaPraça shows how architecture can engage with the future – by responding to climate and engaging with nature rather than resisting it." This philosophy represents a significant shift in architectural thinking, emphasizing adaptation and cooperation with natural forces rather than opposition.
The project builds upon the legacy established 45 years ago when Rossi's floating theater moved through the Venetian lagoon, but AquaPraça advances this concept by incorporating modern responsive technologies and climate adaptation strategies. The floating plaza recasts architecture's role as an active participant in shaping the environmental futures of the cities and regions it serves, demonstrating how built environments can work symbiotically with natural systems.
After COP30 concludes, AquaPraça will not return to Italy but will remain permanently in the Amazon region as a long-term cultural landmark. This decision ensures the structure will continue serving as a platform for ongoing climate dialogue and environmental education in one of the world's most critical ecosystems, extending its impact far beyond the duration of the climate summit and establishing a lasting presence for climate action in Brazil.
