Design studio Templo has developed a striking visual identity for the 2025 British Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale, using innovative typography to capture the geological beauty of Kenya's landscapes. The project, titled "Geology of Britannic Repair," represents the third consecutive collaboration between Templo co-founders Anoushka Rodda and Pali Palavathanan and the British Pavilion.
The pavilion brings Kenya's pastoral scenes to Venice, with Templo's design system reflecting the topology and geology of the Rift Valley. According to Anoushka Rodda, the project explores complex themes including "geology, extractive processes, colonialism, tectonic and geopolitical fragmentation, and the role non-extractive architecture can play in social and environmental repair."
Templo's design approach balances geometric precision with organic forms, highlighting what they describe as the natural order of the natural world. The team deliberately avoided visual clichés while incorporating Kenya's distinctive colors alongside a custom logo typeface. The typeface features what the designers call a "sharp Lithic quality" that sits raised, matching the topographical relief of the Rift Valley before transforming into organic waves and earthy textures.
The studio's animation work captures the character of tectonic motion and the natural cycles of rift and repair. "The concept of architecture as earth practice was as fundamental to the visual identity as it is to the commissions within the pavilion," explains Pali Palavathanan.
During the initial development phase, Templo collaborated closely with Kabage Karanja and Stella Mutegi of Cave_bureau, a Nairobi-based architectural practice, along with curator and writer Owen Hopkins and Dr. Kathryn Yusoff, professor of Inhuman Geography at Queen Mary University of London. The team conducted workshops to ensure alignment and maintained regular meetings throughout the project to preserve its ambitious vision.
The Cave_bureau's treatment of the pavilion's exterior creates a powerful first impression for visitors. Pali Palavathanan highlights this as a standout element: "With its columned façade, the pavilion itself is quite an imperious, authoritative building. Cave_bureau's project confronts this by draping it with a colorful beaded veil inspired by Maasai dwellings." This approach embodies what Palavathanan calls the "softening of the edges," a design philosophy applied throughout Templo's entire visual system.
For Anoushka Rodda, the Shimoni Slave Cave installation represents a particularly moving aspect of the project. "The installation reimagines historic trauma as something beautiful and calming," she explains, referring to the 1:1 scale reproduction of the interiors of Kenya's Shimoni Caves, where enslaved people were once held captive.
Templo's comprehensive identity system for "Geology of Britannic Repair" spans multiple curatorial areas, from visual elements to tangible experiences, creating a cohesive narrative that encompasses both aesthetic appeal and meaningful content. The design work positions the pavilion to engage a global audience in confronting important historical and environmental realities that demand attention and understanding.
