You might not expect a title like Lares and Penates: On Building a Sense of Security in Architecture to deliver much humour — but that was exactly the surprise at the 2025 Venice Biennale Polish pavilion.

The exhibition played on contrasts: safety and superstition, ritual and regulation, protection and precaution — all presented with a casual elegance that’s hard to do. Familiar icons of modern safety, like the classic bright red fire extinguisher, were re-imagined — nestled into niches either adorned with seashells or painted International Klein Blue, elevating their status from the purely functional to the almost sacred. A nod, perhaps, to the long history of everyday objects quietly standing guard yet shaping our use of buildings.

Real, working components of the building — from alarms and electrical panels to surveillance cameras — were seamlessly woven into the display. In doing so, the exhibition reminded us that these devices, so often overlooked, are deeply embedded in how we design and experience our spaces.

There was wit throughout, from the pared-back presentation to the handwritten notes scrawled directly onto the pavilion walls. “Evacuation Signs – To know what to do in an emergency” sat cheerfully beside “Salt in the Corners – for dispelling bad energy.” It was a clever and charming exhibit that made us smile — safety, it turns out, can be serious and light-hearted.