Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, the founding partners of Amateur Architecture Studio, have been appointed as curators of the 20th International Architecture Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia. The prestigious exhibition will open on May 8, 2027, and run through November 21, 2027, taking place in the renowned Giardini and Arsenale venues in Venice, Italy.
The decision was officially approved by La Biennale's Board of Directors following a recommendation from President Pietrangelo Buttafuoco. This appointment brings the Chinese architects to one of the most influential platforms in the architectural world, marking a significant milestone for the 2027 edition of the exhibition.
For nearly three decades, Amateur Architecture Studio has built its practice around the principles of reuse, vernacular craftsmanship, and resistance to demolition-driven development. Their approach is deeply informed by their academic work at the China Academy of Art, where they have developed a philosophy that challenges conventional architectural practices.
The duo is no stranger to the Venice Biennale, having participated in previous editions in 2006, 2010, and 2016. Their widely recognized projects include the Ningbo Historic Museum, the Xiangshan Campus, and numerous other significant works. Wang Shu's achievements were further recognized when he received the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2012.
Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu have established themselves as advocates for locality, craftsmanship, and the cultural memory embedded in everyday materials. Since founding their practice in 1997, they have spent nearly three decades challenging dominant architectural narratives both in China and internationally. Their work, developed in close collaboration with their teaching roles at the China Academy of Art, firmly rejects the concept of tabula rasa urbanization.
Instead of wholesale demolition and reconstruction, the architects favor repair, reuse, and construction processes that are grounded in the lived realities of ordinary people. They don't treat vernacular buildings, recycled bricks, or community labor as mere aesthetic elements, but rather position them as structural counterweights to a global landscape dominated by demolition-led development.
Amateur Architecture Studio first made its mark at the Venice Biennale in 2006 as part of the China Pavilion. They returned in 2010 under the direction of Kazuyo Sejima, where they received a Special Mention for their project "Decay of a Dome." The studio participated once again in 2016 following an invitation from Alejandro Aravena.
Throughout their career, Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu have created numerous widely recognized projects that embody their philosophy. These include the Ningbo Historic Museum, the Xiangshan Campus of the China Academy of Art, the Renovation of Wencun Village, the National Archives of Publications and Culture in Hangzhou, Tiles Hill in Hangzhou, the Fuyang Cultural Complex, and the Museum of Ancient Animals in Baoding, among many others.
Their work has gained international recognition through exhibitions at prestigious institutions including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. They have also been featured in dedicated solo exhibitions at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Arc en rêve in Bordeaux, and BOZAR in Brussels.
President Buttafuoco believes their curatorial leadership comes at a crucial time that demands clarity and responsibility in architecture. "Their vision, deeply rooted in the memory of places and in the knowledge of construction processes, represents today an essential voice in the international debate on architecture and on the meaning of inhabiting the world's spaces," he stated.
Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu view their upcoming curatorial role as a response to what they perceive as an architectural culture that has become increasingly disconnected from reality. "In the current world, the rapid and multiple changes in architecture are more a phenomenon of appearance, the result of excessive conceptualization or marked commercialization," they explained.
The architects warn against experimentation that becomes detached from place, arguing that such approaches "will lead to the death of architecture." Instead, they advocate for persistence and continuity, emphasizing the importance of "a simple and true concept and method of architecture" as a meaningful response to contemporary crises in the field.
Their appointment represents a significant moment for the Venice Architecture Biennale, as they bring their philosophy of durability, continuity, and grounded experimentation to one of architecture's most important international stages. The 2027 edition promises to offer a unique perspective on contemporary architectural practice, rooted in their decades of experience challenging conventional approaches to building and urban development.
