Call for interns: Apply for the internship programme for Venice Architecture Biennale 2025

Archinfo, the Information Centre for Finnish Architecture, invites students from Aalto University, University of Oulu, and Tampere University to apply for an unique internship opportunity at the Pavilion of Finland during the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale. The internship programme is open to students pursuing degrees in architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture.

Internship overview

Each internship lasts around ten weeks, with interns serving as exhibition staff at the Pavilion of Finland from 6 May to 23 November 2025.

Application Deadline: 8 December 2024.
Please review the programme details and application instructions below before submitting your application.

What does the internship offer?

Interns can earn study credit from their university. The interns will also benefit from a range of unique opportunities, including:

• Participating in the world’s most prestigious architecture event

• Presenting the exhibition to a global audience

• Gaining in-depth knowledge about the Pavilion of Finland and the Biennale’s Giardini Park

• Learning practical skills in audience engagement in an international context

• Exploring the architecture of Venice

• Building international connections while living in Venice

Who can apply?

The internship programme is open to students of architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture in Finnish universities. In particular, the programme is targeted at master-level students. Applicants must have a strong command of both spoken and written English, and additional languages are an asset.

We value:

• A deep knowledge and passion for Finnish architecture

• The ability to work independently and responsibly in an international setting

• Excellent customer service skills, previous experience of working as a guide in exhibitions or at public events is an asset

• Strong verbal communication skills

• Experience in creating content for social media

Intern responsibilities

The interns will work four days a week at the Pavilion of Finland, an iconic building located in the heart of the Giardini della Biennale Park.

Key duties include:

• Overseeing exhibition operations, including opening, monitoring, and closing the exhibition

• Enhancing the visitor experience by engaging with the audience and occasionally conducting guided tours

• Providing the visitors information about Finnish architecture and Finland in general

• Assisting in communication tasks, such as creating content for social media

• Other tasks related to the intern’s studies and decided together with their university

The interns will undergo training in Helsinki in Spring 2025, which will cover the exhibition content and practical aspects of living in Venice. Additionally, they will complete first aid training before the start of the internship. A second induction in Venice will include fire safety training and guidance on managing the venue and exhibition. Throughout the programme, interns will be supported by a local supervisor in Venice and the exhibition’s project manager in Finland.

Internship periods

We offer three internship periods:

• 6 May – 13 July 2025

• 14 July – 21 September 2025

• 22 September – 23 November 2025

Three interns will be selected for each period. We will accommodate the wishes of the applicants regarding the timing of their internship as much as possible.

The work week is approximately 37 hours. The Venice Architecture Biennale is open six days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday (with some exceptions), and work primarily takes place on these days.

Covered expenses

Archinfo will provide housing for the interns in Venice by renting a shared apartment. Each intern will have their own bedroom within the flat.

While the internship is unpaid, the interns will receive a daily allowance of €15 to cover living expenses. Additionally, the cost of activating a local transport card will be reimbursed, and interns will have free access to all Biennale exhibitions.

Interns have the opportunity to integrate the internship into their academic studies and earn credit from their university. Each university grants 5 credits for completing the internship. To receive the credits, interns must submit an internship report. Additionally, they can apply for financial support, such as an Erasmus grant or a travel allowance, through their university.

How to apply

To apply, please send a one-page, free-form application in English along with your CV in a single PDF file, to venice@archinfo.fi by 8 December 2024 at 11.59 pm (GMT+2). Be sure to indicate your availability and/or preferred internship period from the following options: 6 May – 13 July, 14 July – 21 September, or 22 September – 23 November 2025.

Please name the PDF file with Surname_Firstname and include “Venice Architecture Biennale internship programme” in your email’s subject line.

Interviews will begin in January, with decisions announced in February.

FOR PROGRAMME INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT:

Archinfo
Ulla Kallakivi, Project Manager, Pavilion of Finland 2025
ulla.kallakivi@archinfo.fi, +358 50 367 0801

University contact information:

Tampere University
Professor Panu Lehtovuori
panu.lehtovuori@tuni.fi, +358 50 525 0252

University of Oulu
Professor Janne Pihlajaniemi
janne.pihlajaniemi@oulu.fi, +358 40 572 0895

Aalto University
Head of Department of Architecture Jenni Reuter
jenni.reuter@aalto.fi, +358 50 305 5704

ABOUT THE 2025 VENICE ARCHITECTURE

The Venice Architecture Biennale, established in 1980, takes place every two years, alternating with the Venice Art Biennale, which began in 1895. The 2023 edition of the Architecture Biennale attracted nearly 300,000 visitors.

The 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, themed "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective." will be held from 10 May to 23 November 2025. The 19th edition of the Biennale will be curated by Italian architect and engineer Carlo Ratti.

You can find more information about the Venice Architecture Biennale here.

THE PAVILION OF FINLAND

Designed by Alvar Aalto, the Pavilion of Finland was completed in 1956 in the Giardini Park. Originally intended as a temporary structure, the small wooden building has remained in place to this day and is now one of the most iconic architectural landmarks in the Giardini.

THE 2025 EXHIBITION AT THE PAVILION OF FINLAND

Ella Kaira and Matti Jänkälä's exhibition idea was selected in an open call for curators, which produced a total of 45 proposals. The curatorial concept explores the care and maintenance of modern architecture from a new perspective.

ARCHINFO AS COMMISSIONER

Archinfo has been appointed commissioner and organiser of the architecture exhibition for the Pavilion of Finland by the Ministry of Education and Culture since 2018.

PAST EXHIBITIONS

• 2023: Huussi – Imagining the Future History of Sanitation

This exhibition explored the theme of water and nutrient cycles and the architect’s role in envisioning future solutions. The exhibition was created by architect and artist Arja Renell, graphic designer Antero Jokinen, and architects Eero Renell, Barbara Motta, Emmi Keskisarja, and Janne Teräsvirta.

• 2021: New Standards

Curated by Laura Berger, Philip Tidwell, and Kristo Vesikansa, this exhibition delved into a significant moment in Finnish history when architects and industrial companies collaborated to address the housing crisis of Karelian evacuees. Prefabricated houses developed during wartime shaped Finland’s construction industry, with Puutalo Oy exporting homes to over 30 countries in the 1940s and 1950s. The exhibition highlighted the remarkable success of Puutalo Oy.

• 2018: Mind-Building

Curated by Anni Vartola, this exhibition traced the evolution of Finnish library architecture from the late 19th century to the modern day, culminating in the opening of the Helsinki Central Library Oodi in December 2018.

You can find more information about the past exhibitions organised by Archinfo at the Pavilion of Finland here.