Venice Architecture Biennale highlights - in pictures

The Venice Biennale of Architecture opens on 26 May with the aim of "promoting the 'desire' of architecture", its organisers say. This work is part of the Chinese pavilion.

Named "Freespace", the exhibition is part of the Venice Biennale and displays the work of 100 architecture studios from 65 countries, including from Bangladesh, shown here.

The Vatican, which is participating for the first time, has displayed ten chapels in its pavilion. Each one is designed by a renowned architect, including this one by Norman Foster.

Some of the work touches on hot political issues - the US exhibition is called "Dimensions of Citizenship".

The Israeli pavilion is named "In Status Quo: Structures of Negotiation".

"Freespace encourages reviewing ways of thinking, new ways of seeing the world, of inventing solutions," said curators Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara. Pictured here is the German exhibition, called "Unbuilding Walls".

The British pavilion, "Island", hosts a platform which looks out over a lagoon to reflect on "tomorrow, yesterday, isolation and even our political situation", said architecture firm Caruso St John, alluding to the UK's departure from the European Union.

Here, a display at the Dutch pavilion. The 16th edition of the architecture festival is open to the public until 25 November.