 The building is part of a complex that Brenno Del Giudice designed in 1932 to house Venetian decorative arts on Sant'Elena Island—an expansion of the Biennale from its main Giardini area.The building later served as Switzerland's national pavilion before the country moved to a new pavilion in 1952 and left the building to Egypt.The national pavilions for Serbia and Venice flank the Egyptian pavilion.