27 February 2026: One of China’s most renowned female architect’s, Xu Tiantian, whose work has transformed rural communities across China, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 MECCA x NGV Women in Design Commission, a major series inviting globally renowned designers to create groundbreaking new work for the NGV Collection.
Based in Beijing, Xu’s practice uses architecture to revitalise rural and regional Chinese provinces, helping to protect their economies, cultural heritage and social wellbeing. Coining the term ‘architectural acupuncture’, referencing traditional Chinese medicine, Xu uses precise, seamless interventions to transform underutilised infrastructure and buildings. Recent projects include transforming a series of abandoned stone quarries into multi-purpose arts venues, and building a theatre stage within a bamboo forest, to facilitate village opera performances and as a site for meditation.
Enticing visitors from across China and abroad, these projects fuse architecture with landscape creating distinctive destinations for music, art and performance. Her holistic design approach emphasises local participation and engagement, empowering communities by championing their practices and resources, and fostering a sense of continuity and care in China’s built environment. This approach, acknowledged by the United Nations as a model for strengthening urban-rural linkages, results in impactful projects that preserve heritage and revitalise local communities and their identities.
For the fifth MECCA x NGV Women in Design Commission, Xu will present Bamboo Theatre, a full scale installation that draws on the landscape and material knowledge of Songyang County, a mountainous region of the Zhejiang Province where dense bamboo forest borders local villages and terraced tea plantations. Handcrafted from locally sourced bamboo, this new work captures the enduring use of bamboo in contemporary architecture and offers a space for gathering and contemplation.
The commission will invite reflection on how architecture fosters community and offers spaces for connection and dialogue. The installation celebrates the universal power of the circular floor plan as a symbol of protection, gathering and shared living, as seen in the architecture of many cultures worldwide. Within the installation will be a large-scale multimedia film, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere Xu is celebrated for, reflecting the qualities of her increasingly iconic built projects.
Of the Commission, Xu Tiantian, said: ‘It is a great honour to create this work for the National Gallery of Victoria and MECCA and an opportunity to bring a living material and a collective building tradition into a contemporary cultural setting. The Bamboo Theatre explores how architecture can remain light, adaptive, and rooted in place while shaping spaces for gathering, reflection, and dialogue.’
Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV, said: ‘We are thrilled to announce Xu Tiantian, a visionary architect who is leading the way globally in rural redevelopment and transformation, as the fifth recipient of the MECCA x NGV Women in Design Commission. We are extremely grateful to MECCA for their support in this groundbreaking commission and helping Xu to realise this ambitious new work, which we look forward to sharing with our audiences.’
Jo Horgan AM, Founder & Co-CEO MECCA said: ‘Five years into our partnership with the NGV, it has been incredibly meaningful to see the impact this commission has had on the careers of these remarkable women. What began as a commitment to champion women in design has grown into something quite rare globally, one of the only commissions of its kind. To know that each of these ambitious works will now live on in the NGV Collection feels important. It means their ideas, their perspectives and their creative courage become part of our shared cultural record. Xu Tiantian’s work is a beautiful reminder that architecture is not just about buildings, it is about people. It can nurture community, honour culture and support wellbeing. Those ideas resonate deeply with us at MECCA. Through M-POWER, our commitment is to champion female representation in the arts, encourage participation and careers for women and girls, and ensure that women’s voices and experiences are not only heard, but preserved. This commission is one small but meaningful way of contributing to that legacy.’
To celebrate the announcement of Xu Tiantian as the 2026 Commission recipient, NGV and MECCA will host a free day of programs and talks on Saturday 14 March, at NGV International.
Programming:
• From 8:45am – 9.40am, sound healing practitioner Mellow Habits will lead a group sound bath in the NGV Great Hall.
• From 10:00am – 3:00pm, NGV will host a Chinese Knotting Workshop, where visitors are invited to create their own bag charm using coloured paracord and beading.
• From 11:00am – 11.30am, Xu Tiantian will join Ewan McEoin, Senior Curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture, NGV in conversation to discuss the commission and her practice.
• From 12:00pm – 12:30pm, Ewan McEoin, Senior Curator of Contemporary Design and Architecture, NGV will moderate a talk with MECCA’s creative and strategic leaders alongside Anna Cleaver, Former Selfridges Director of Brand Strategy.
Xu is the fifth recipient of the annual, five-year commission series, made possible by a significant contribution from MECCA and supported through its social change initiative, M-POWER. The Women in Design partnership aligns with M-POWER’s mission to drive meaningful progress towards gender equality, by championing opportunities for women and girls in the arts and design, and to inspire the next generation of female creatives.
The first and only series of its kind in Australia, the commission creates a platform to present topical, world-premiere works of international significance to highlight the contributions and practices of women in design. The MECCA x NGV Women in Design Commission is MECCA’s single largest commitment to an Australian cultural institution, through this significant contribution MECCA’s support will strengthen the NGV’s Collection of Contemporary Design and Architecture works by women and advance the NGV’s ongoing efforts towards redressing historical gender imbalance in the Collection.
Over five years, commissioned designers are revealed annually coinciding with International Women’s Day in March, with the final work being revealed by year’s end. The partnership will culminate in a major exhibition in early 2027 to showcase the five bodies of work and the remarkable Collection outcome.