I thought it would be interesting to bring these practitioners from different areas of the world together to better understand it. I observed this happening in lots of different areas, this sort of rebirth of vernacular, not as a retrogressive or nostalgic idea, but as a departure point for contemporary thinking and innovation. Some of these make ecological sense today. Jane Withers: I have been observing for some time, how many designers are referencing or inspired by vernacular practices that perhaps have often been ignored or lost in the 20 th century and the industrial era. Could you give us your perspective on this idea? The term vernacular gets thrown around a lot, but here there is an attempt to define it. Lender: Ethnographic Museum, Ljubljana Image: (L)Louise Melchior, (R) Klemen Ilovar, Courtesy of MAOĭevanshi Shah:The idea of the Super Vernaculars almost sounds like a manifesto. (L) Jane Withers (R) BIO27 Super Vernaculars exhibition view. An extract of that conversation can be found below. In a conversation with STIR, Withers elaborates on the nature of the biennial's theme, and how it positions itself in relation to emerging technologies and vernacular lessons. These projects pair five Slovenian interdisciplinary teams with internationally acclaimed mentors to tackle compelling problems of local communities and the environment. There are five commissioned projects that are defined as part of the Super Vernaculars' production platform. The biennial brings together Mario Cucinella Architects' Tecla 3D Printed House and biomaterials such as mycelium and geopolymer cement. The act of sharing knowledge becomes a key component of the biennial's presentation. By pairing Slovenia designers with mentors from across the globe, Withers set up an ideation lab that builds on the knowledge that already exists. While the idea of a vernacular may seem to be a celebration of the past, Withers' curation brings together forward-thinking designers and thinkers to take these ideas forward. Put forward in a curatorial statement by Jane Withers, the curator of the 27 th biennial, the London-based design curator, and writer expands the exploratory nature of BIO to highlight what is often referred to as alternative innovations and narratives.

Now in its 27 th iteration, the biennial focuses on the idea of Super Vernaculars as a theme. Located in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia, the biennial was established as a means to facilitate and contribute to the dialogue between architecture, industry and the academic sectors BIO has been a laboratory to test and track ideas and innovations. Biennial of Design (BIO Ljubljana) was established in 1963, making it one of the oldest international design events in Europe.

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