Here is what the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale curated by Chinese architects Lu Wenyu and Wang Shu will be about

For the first time in the history of the Venice Architecture Biennale, two Chinese architects—Wang Shu (Pritzker Prize 2012) and Lu Wenyu—have been appointed as curators of the 20th International Architecture Exhibition, scheduled from May 8 to November 21, 2027. The duo, who co-founded Amateur Architecture Studio in 1997 and are partners in life and work, previously participated in the Biennale in 2010 under Kazuyo Sejima (receiving a Special Mention for their project "Decay of a Dome") and in 2016 under Alejandro Aravena. Their edition will follow the 2025 edition curated by Carlo Ratti and will be titled "Fare Architettura" (Doing Architecture), focusing on the coexistence of diversity in real reality.

The appointment of Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu marks a historic shift in the Biennale's leadership, reflecting the growing global influence of Chinese architectural thought. Their curatorial theme, "Fare Architettura," emphasizes reuse of materials, craftsmanship, memory, and the integration of diverse social and cultural elements—drawing inspiration from the Chinese garden as a model for harmonious coexistence. The exhibition aims to address pressing questions about how new architecture can coexist with ancient structures, how social diversity can shape building practices, and how to balance efficiency with slowness, AI with tactility. This matters because it signals a broader, more inclusive direction for one of the world's most prestigious architectural platforms, moving beyond Western-centric narratives to embrace alternative philosophies of making and living together.