The 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale has appointed Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu, co-founders of Amateur Architecture Studio, as the curators. Based in Hangzhou, the duo is recognized for a philosophy that respects tradition and local context, applying traditional building techniques to contemporary architecture. Beginning with the experimental spirit of “amateurism,” they pursue site-based, hands-on challenges rather than established professional conventions. With a sense of responsibility for safeguarding regional history and communal memory, they propose a new architectural language that balances tradition and modernity, as well as continuity and change.
Founded in 1997, Amateur Architecture Studio practices architecture centered on local memory, artisanal craftsmanship, and the reuse of traditional and reclaimed materials. Beyond building projects, Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu have played crucial roles in architectural education in China. In 2003, they founded the Department of Architecture at the China Academy of Art, expanding it into the School of Architecture in 2007. Their work is often described as “mediating between the past and present,” foregrounding recycled materials, everyday tectonics, and the builders’ and craftspeople’s ingenuity. Their architecture does not overpower or overwrite context, but grows organically within it.
Major works include the Ningbo Museum of History, the Xiangshan Campus at the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou Tiles Hill, the Wencun Village regeneration project, the Fuyang Cultural Complex, the Fuyang Culture Center, and other Fuyang cultural and community facilities. In 2012, Wang Shu became the first Chinese architect to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize.
The two emphasized that the role of Biennale Artistic Director must be deeply connected to the architectural crises of the time. They criticized contemporary architecture as becoming detached from reality through excessive conceptualization and commercialization, warning that this trend could lead to “the death of architecture.” They stated that their direction will focus on sincerity, integrity, and essential architectural values, moving toward a better reality and future.
The 19th International Architecture Exhibition in 2025, curated by Carlo Ratti, examined intelligence as an adaptive capacity to environmental change under the theme “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective,” presenting experiments where academic research and emerging technologies intersect to address climate crisis and environmental pollution. Previous Biennale directors include Lesley Lokko in 2023, Hashim Sarkis in 2021, and Yvonne Farrell & Shelley McNamara in 2018, as well as globally influential architects such as Rem Koolhaas and Kazuyo Sejima.
The 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale will run from May 8 to November 21, primarily across the Giardini della Biennale and the Arsenale di Venezia areas in Venice.
