{"id":3349,"date":"2026-10-20T14:49:26","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T14:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/?p=3349"},"modified":"2026-10-20T14:49:26","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T14:49:26","slug":"architecture-must-return-to-its-essence-wang-shu-and-lu-wenyu-unveil-vision-for-the-2027-venice-architecture-biennale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/?p=3349","title":{"rendered":"&quot;Architecture Must Return to Its Essence&quot;: Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu Unveil Vision for the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Renowned architects Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu have issued a profound call to action for the global design community, declaring that architecture must return to its fundamental essence. The statement forms the cornerstone of their curatorial vision for the upcoming 20th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. Scheduled to run from May 8 to November 21, 2027, across the iconic venues of the Giardini, the Arsenale, and various sites throughout Venice, the prestigious exhibition promises to shift the discourse surrounding contemporary spatial practice.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article-inline-figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.adsttc.com\/media\/images\/6ad7\/3e5a\/8008\/f401\/8ba5\/48bd\/large_jpg\/architecture-must-return-to-its-essence-wang-shu-and-lu-wenyu-on-the-2027-venice-architecture-biennale_8.jpg?1792491114\" alt=\"\u201cArchitecture Must Return to Its Essence\u201d: Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu on the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale\" class=\"article-inline-img\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Under the guiding title &quot;Do Architecture \u2013 For the Possibility of Coexistence Facing a Real Reality,&quot; the curators are challenging the profession to confront what they perceive as a dangerous drift away from physical reality. According to Wang and Lu, modern architectural discourse has become increasingly dominated by excessive abstraction, relentless commercialization, and a digital detachment that separates designers from the lived experiences of the people they serve. Instead of chasing speculative futures or focusing exclusively on what architecture might eventually become, the 2027 Biennale will urge practitioners, critics, and the public to ground themselves firmly in the present.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article-inline-figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.adsttc.com\/media\/images\/6ad7\/3e5a\/8008\/f401\/8ba5\/48bd\/newsletter\/architecture-must-return-to-its-essence-wang-shu-and-lu-wenyu-on-the-2027-venice-architecture-biennale_8.jpg?1792491114\" alt=\"\u201cArchitecture Must Return to Its Essence\u201d: Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu on the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale\" class=\"article-inline-img\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>The overarching theme asks a direct and uncompromising question: what does it truly mean to practice architecture today? To answer this, the curators are steering the conversation back to tangible elements\u2014materials, physical construction methods, local knowledge, and direct human experience. This back-to-basics philosophy is not a sudden shift for the curatorial duo, but rather a natural extension of the ethos that has defined their work for decades.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article-inline-figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.adsttc.com\/media\/images\/6ad7\/355a\/c720\/ac01\/8896\/3158\/thumb_jpg\/architecture-must-return-to-its-essence-wang-shu-and-lu-wenyu-on-the-2027-venice-architecture-biennale_1.jpg?1792488802\" alt=\"\u201cArchitecture Must Return to Its Essence\u201d: Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu on the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale\" class=\"article-inline-img\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>As the founders of the Hangzhou-based Amateur Architecture Studio, established in 1997, Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu have long championed a deeply contextual approach to building. Their portfolio\u2014featuring landmark projects such as the Ningbo Historic Museum and the Xi&#8217;an Opera House and Concert Hall\u2014demonstrates a rigorous commitment to traditional building techniques, resourcefulness through material reuse, and a sensitive understanding of the profound relationship between architecture and its specific geographical and cultural place. By bringing this philosophy to the international stage of the Venice Biennale, they hope to spark a global dialogue on the value of craftsmanship and local identity in an increasingly homogenized world.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"article-inline-figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.adsttc.com\/media\/images\/6ad7\/3554\/c720\/ac01\/8896\/3157\/thumb_jpg\/architecture-must-return-to-its-essence-wang-shu-and-lu-wenyu-on-the-2027-venice-architecture-biennale_1.jpg?1792488812\" alt=\"\u201cArchitecture Must Return to Its Essence\u201d: Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu on the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale\" class=\"article-inline-img\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Central to the 2027 Biennale&#8217;s curatorial framework is the concept of coexistence. Wang and Lu intend to place the complexities of modern existence at the heart of the exhibition, exploring how architecture can bridge seemingly contradictory conditions. This includes reconciling advanced technology with traditional craftsmanship, balancing urban developments with rural ways of building, and harmonizing human needs with environmental constraints, all while remaining inextricably bound to the realities of each unique site. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"article-inline-figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.adsttc.com\/media\/images\/6ad7\/4bd0\/c720\/ac01\/8896\/3247\/thumb_jpg\/architecture-must-return-to-its-essence-wang-shu-and-lu-wenyu-on-the-2027-venice-architecture-biennale_11.jpg?1792494549\" alt=\"\u201cArchitecture Must Return to Its Essence\u201d: Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu on the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale\" class=\"article-inline-img\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>As preparations begin for the May 2027 opening, the architectural world anticipates an exhibition that challenges prevailing industry trends and reasserts the physical, social, and cultural responsibilities of the built environment. Through &quot;Do Architecture,&quot; Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu invite the global community to step away from the screen and the spreadsheet, returning their hands and minds to the fundamental act of making.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Renowned architects Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu have issued a profound call to action for the global design community, declaring that architecture must return to its fundamental essence. The statement forms the cornerstone of their curatorial vision for the upcoming 20th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. Scheduled to run from May 8 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3348,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[98],"tags":[78,123,4305,2702,3663,122,121,1229,3286,757,2442,3918,4304],"class_list":["post-3349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asian-real-estate-and-architecture","tag-architecture","tag-asian-homes","tag-biennale","tag-essence","tag-must","tag-property","tag-real-estate","tag-return","tag-unveil","tag-venice","tag-vision","tag-wang","tag-wenyu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3349\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/orientalplaces.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}