The British Council has today announced an open call for a UK-Malaysia architectural practitioner team to develop and deliver the exhibition for the British Pavilion at the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale.
Building on the success of the 2025 British Pavilion, which was commissioned as a UK-Kenya collaboration, the 2027 exhibition will mark 70 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Malaysia.
The British Council invites teams consisting of exhibition designers, architects, curators, educators, researchers, or practitioners with other design or built environment backgrounds to submit proposals. All applicants must be experienced in exhibition development and delivery.
For the 2027 British Pavilion, teams are invited to build on the work of the British Council's UK-Malaysia ‘Human-Nature’ programme, which explores our relationship as humans with each other and with the natural environment.
The exhibition may explore the role of architecture and the built environment in relation to colonialism, extractive economies, identity and representation, inclusion, ancestral knowledge and wisdom, bio-diversity, the climate emergency, and cultural rights and heritage protection.
The British Council particularly welcomes proposals from practitioner teams where the UK partner is based outside of Greater London in England or based in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Sevra Davis, Director of Architecture Design and Fashion at the British Council and Commissioner of the British Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale said:
'Building on the success of the UK-Kenya collaborative exhibition for the British Pavilion 2025, I am delighted that the British Council will use our platform at the 2027 Venice Biennale to support transnational creative cooperation between the UK and Malaysia as we celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations. The British Council UK-Malaysia programme ‘Human-Nature’ serves as a foundation and catalyst for the open call, exploring how humans interact with each other and the natural and built environment. I look forward to the breadth of responses and to working with a UK-Malaysia architectural team to develop an exhibition that will cross borders, spark empathy, stimulate dialogue, and inspire new ways of seeing the world.'
Country Director for Malaysia at the British Council, Jazreel Goh said:
'This collaboration for the British Pavilion at the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale is a milestone in celebrating 70 years of UK–Malaysia diplomatic relations. It reflects our shared commitment to fostering cultural exchange and creative dialogue that transcends borders. By bringing together diverse perspectives from both countries, we aim to inspire innovative thinking about architecture’s role in shaping inclusive, sustainable futures.'
You can read more about the open call here.
Submissions must be received via the online application system by 11.59pm UK time on 14 January 2026. The application process has two stages: proposals submitted via open call, followed by interviews for shortlisted applicants.