It seems that the future for the world and its built environment is bleak. Or so say many. A volatile socio-political environment, a shattered economic fabric, myopic patronage, rampant neglect towards conscious design… the list of what will cause an outage is endless.

And yet, the horizon exists.

Even the staunchest sceptic cannot deny the existence of the halo. For that, they have to be OPEN.

The idea of OPEN pre-supposes and embeds a willing consent to redefine, deconstruct, sometimes simply fail in one’s attempts to articulate the new and the unknown, all while enjoying the process more than the outcome.

The stimulus to build oscillates from ego gratification to enabling social good and everything in between but finally, it is inner alignment and a constant inner-seeking and unlearning that manifests as honest buildings that stand the test of time. There is a dire need for honesty, both in approach and in the process of the built form as a synonym for OPEN.

With the theme of OPEN, the FAB Biennale, 2018-2019 in its debut year will present new thinking and new materials as its anchor to fuel design flight. OPEN to interpretation, the invitation to address the future is being presented to all stakeholders as one that they see from their lens, undeterred by dogma or populist notions. Simultaneously the Biennale exhorts participants to be rigorous in their thoughts and creations and actively step out of their comfort zones to create an atmosphere where both, inclusivity and well-intentioned dissent thrive.

A differing perspective is welcome, one that is not aligned with the familiar, is encouraged and no takeaway is being designed.

FAB Biennale, 2018-2019 will present talks, installations, exhibitions, papers and films, which do not refer to some fantastic delusional frontier but which take their cues from the present to deviate in response, and which will stir the unknown.

The endeavour is to create a narrative that is open-ended. At the Biennale that is meant to celebrate “OPEN”, all viewpoints will be held valid.

There is no right or wrong. At FAB Biennale, 2018-2019, we will celebrate the space in between. Because, therein lie all possibilities.