Sala Darsena

Today's Sala Darsena, once known as the Pala Galileo, was built on the base of the open-air Arena constructed during the expansion in the 1950s adjacent to the Palazzo del Cinema. When it was built, it provided seating for over 1500 people for the evening screenings of the Venice Film Festival. The laminated wood roof was built in less than 3 months in 1999, to a project by architect Enrico Valeriani, and was intended to be a temporary solution before a more radical renovation could begin. In 2014, the Sala Darsena was significantly renovated by the Biennale with the purpose of turning it into a screening room equal to the Sala Grande. The interiors and technology were updated and a foyer was built to receive the public.

The walls of the Sala were redesigned with technical screens in a variety of different shapes, made out of a highly sound-absorbing fabric to guarantee the finest acoustic performance. The existing stepped seating area was expanded to fit new seats sized to provide spectator comfort and to increase the capacity to 1409. The latest screening and audio technology was introduced and the new projection room provided spaces for directing, audio control and simultaneous translation facilities. An entrance Foyer was built on the side towards the Casinò with a wood and glass structure, and a new entrance system was developed with stairs, ramps and green areas integrated into the surrounding urban space.