Lorenzo Mattozzi and Cosimo Scotucci will head the MVRDV studio at Venice Studio 2026, the sixth edition of the annual intensive architecture programme. This year’s course brings together six leading international architecture and urbanism offices, including 3XN, BIG, OMA, Snøhetta, and Zaha Hadid Architects. Over two weeks, the programme will feature public lectures and design reviews, welcoming 80+ selected students from around the world.

The MVRDV studio, called "Fondamenta Minore", will focus on the potential of public space in Venice, reimagining it as a catalyst for social life, play, and ecological resilience. Students will be asked to design a new neighborhood of approximately 1.5 hectares on the northern edge of Venice, combining contemporary housing and services with sports facilities and generous public spaces, particularly for children and young people.

This focus responds to one of Venice’s most pressing challenges: the progressive decline and aging of its resident population, coupled with a growing lack of spaces dedicated to everyday life. While Venice is globally recognized for its cultural heritage, it increasingly struggles to support the needs of permanent residents, especially families and younger generations. By prioritizing housing, play, sport, mobility and accessible public space we frame design as a tool to reclaim Venice as a city for living, not only for visiting.

The site is Sacca della Misericordia, currently a marina and small-boat dockyard that represents a missing piece in the puzzle-like structure of Venice. Rich in historical layers yet open to transformation, the site offers the opportunity to design a new piece of Venice, extending the city through a process that is both artificial and deeply rooted in lagoon dynamics.

The MVRDV studio will focus on the integrated design of architecture, public space, and landscape, with particular attention to residential typologies and sports and play facilities for children and young people. Projects will investigate how materials, colors, and spatial sequences can support orientation, accessibility, and inclusive use of public space, encouraging everyday appropriation by residents of different ages.

MVRDV's design methodology will guide the studio process, emphasizing contextual analysis, scale, typology, and narrative clarity. AI and AR tools will be explored as instruments for scenario testing, design development, and spatial communication. Sustainability strategies will be framed through the ESG framework.

• Program dates: June 29 – July 10 
• Venue: SMAC, Procuratie Vecchie, Piazza San Marco 105, 30124 Venezia, Italy

• Opening session: June 29, 10:00
• Venue: Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Campo Santa Maria Formosa 5252, 30122 Venezia, Italy

• More information on the programme and how to apply can be found here