The founders of amateur architecture studio Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu have been selected as curators for the 2027 edition of the Venice Architecture Biennale, which aims to combat the “death of architecture”.

The two Chinese architects, who have won numerous awards, established their own studio in 1997 and also founded the Department of Architecture at the China Academy of Art in 2003 and the School of Architecture in 2007.

“It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu as Artistic Directors of the Department of Architecture.”

“His vision, deeply rooted in memories of places and knowledge of architectural processes, represents an essential voice in the international debate on architecture today and on the meaning of inhabiting the world’s places.”

Imaginary experiences are “often divorced from reality.”

The two said they would try to meet the challenge of covering the Venice Architecture Biennale, arguing that excessive fantasy and commercialization had led to architecture divorced from reality.

“In today’s world, rapid and numerous changes in architecture are a trend of appearance, resulting from excessive concepts or marked commercialization,” said Lu and Wang.

“Extremism-driven theoretical experiments are often divorced from reality and over-commercialization is merely popular and short-lived,” he added.

Both architects argue that this trend could lead to the “death of architecture”.

“This tendency to survive changes rapidly, and is disconnected from contact with real space,” he said. “This will lead to the death of architecture. Therefore, architecture becomes a kind of hallucinatory expression of the future.”

Instead, they want to focus on simple concepts.

“For this reason, despite the actual crisis of this world, there is a certain value in insisting on a simple and real concept and method of architecture.”

“We will try to present this value and search with the greatest sincerity for a better reality and future.”

The amateur architecture studio’s best-known works include the Ningbo History Museum, built on the remains of demolished villages, and the Phyong Cultural Complex clad in recycled tiles.

In 2012, Wang won the Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Appointed to encourage “necessary reflection”.

Lu and Wang have previously participated in the China Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2006, receiving a special mention for the Dome Project, and again in 2016.

According to Batafuocco, his appointment will lead the Venice Architecture Biennale 2027 to a new approach.

“His guidance will encourage wide-ranging and necessary reflection, leading the Biennale Arquitectura 2027 to new perspectives and new ways of understanding our relationship with place, memory and engaged community,” he said.

“We extend our sincere thanks to Wang Shu and Lu Wenyu for accepting this role, along with our warm wishes for their work.”

Photo courtesy of the Venice Architecture Biennale.