'Architecture is not building." That's the mildly provocative premise of this year's Venice Architecture Biennale, "Out There: Architecture Beyond Building," which runs till Nov. 23. Although outspent by the Venice Art Biennale and outshone by the Venice Film Festival, the architecture event in Venice is nonetheless the most important cultural event on the architectural calendar.

The heart of the event is divided across two venues: the vast medieval warehouse known as the Corderie in the Arsenale, home to the thematic core of the show; and the leafy grounds of the Giardini, where permanent national pavilions are situated. Here architectural ambition and national pride combine in the quest for the coveted Golden Lion award.

For many years, the Japanese presence in Venice has drawn particular attention as a view of an alternate modernity. This year's contribution is no exception, combining a cogent agenda with an aesthetic sensibility of rare brilliance. Commissioned by critic Taro Igarashi and designed by wunderkind Junya Ishigami, the intervention, "Extreme Nature," presents a vision of human coexistence with nature through exquisitely delicate and beautiful forms.