STRESSTEST at the 2025 Biennale: Architecture in the Face of the Climate Crisis

The German contribution to the 19th International Architecture Exhibition, developed by Architekturgalerie München e.V. on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building, addresses the consequences of extreme heat and heavy rainfall in urban environments. Under the title STRESSTEST, the German Pavilion focuses on the challenges of heat stress and raises fundamental questions about responsibility, resilience, and justice in urban planning.

The curatorial team – Nicola Borgmann, Elisabeth Endres, Gabriele G. Kiefer, and Daniele Santucci – has created an immersive installation that confronts visitors physically and emotionally with the impacts of the climate crisis.

Climate Crisis in Urban Spaces: Architecture as a Call to Action

What happens when cities reach their limits – when extreme heat, sealed surfaces, and lack of air circulation make public spaces increasingly uninhabitable? The exhibition STRESSTEST addresses these pressing questions and serves as a powerful call for change.

Through spatial installations, film collages, and striking data visualizations, the German Pavilion makes the reality of the urban climate crisis tangible – both physically and emotionally. The focus lies not only on the effects on people, but also on infrastructural elements such as streets, squares, and bridges, which are increasingly under stress due to persistent heat. At the same time, the exhibition shows how architecture and landscape planning can contribute to the development of climate-resilient cities – through innovative concepts, forward-looking materials, and an expanded understanding of responsibility in the planning process.

BESCO supports the German contribution as a sponsor, fully aware that the design of public spaces plays a key role in the future viability of urban living environments. High-quality, durable materials like natural stone and an integrative, sustainable planning approach are central building blocks in this effort.

The exhibition STRESSTEST in the German Pavilion powerfully illustrates how climate change is putting pressure on urban spaces. (Photos: Patricia Parinejad)

belgrano® Natural Stone as a Contribution to Climate-Adapted Cities

BESCO supports the German Pavilion at the 19th Architecture Biennale as a sponsor – fully aware that the design of urban spaces plays a central role in addressing the consequences of the climate crisis. The exhibition STRESSTEST addresses topics that are also relevant to BESCO in everyday work life: overheated inner cities, sealed surfaces, and lack of evaporation or infiltration.

belgrano® natural stone can make an effective contribution here. Light-colored stones like granite reflect sunlight and reduce the heating of urban surfaces. At the same time, natural stone acts as a thermal buffer: it stores heat and releases it gradually and evenly – which helps reduce extreme heating during the day and improves cooling at night.

In combination with permeable joints and suitable substructures, rainwater can infiltrate locally, relieving the sewage system and supporting elements of the sponge city concept. Thanks to its high resistance to weathering and mechanical stress, natural stone is also a durable, sustainable material for public spaces.

“Experiencing the Biennale on site was an impressive experience for me. The exhibition powerfully highlights how complex and urgent the challenges of the climate crisis are in our cities. With belgrano® natural stone, we make an active contribution to making public spaces more resilient and livable,” says Frank Dickmann, Managing Director of BESCO.
 

belgrano® Natural Stone for the City of Tomorrow

BESCO is convinced: the design of public spaces has a decisive impact on the resilience and quality of life in our cities. Natural stone plays a central role in this. It is durable, resilient, versatile in design, and available in many regions. Together with architects, landscape planners, and municipalities, BESCO develops solutions that are both functional and aesthetically convincing, while meeting the challenges of climate change.

The exhibition STRESSTEST is a powerful call for the climate-appropriate transformation of urban spaces. BESCO wholeheartedly supports this contribution.