Xu Tiantian. Photo: Courtesy of DnA Design and Architecture
Xu Tiantian
PROJECT
China’s most prominent female architect, Xu Tiantian, presents Bamboo theatre, an installation that draws on the landscape of Songyang County, a mountainous region of Zhejiang province, where dense bamboo forest surrounds 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.
Continuing Xu’s interest in circular building typologies, Bamboo theatre celebrates the universal power of the circular floor plan – seen in the architecture of many cultures all over the world – as a symbol of protection, gathering and shared living, inviting reflection on how architecture fosters community, connection and dialogue.
Including a large-scale multimedia element, Bamboo theatre will offer visitors an opportunity to experience the unique atmosphere Xu is celebrated for, reflecting the qualities of her increasingly iconic built projects.
Commissioned by the National Gallery of Victoria. Purchased with funds donated by Jo Horgan AM and MECCA Brands, 2026
The commission of these works is made possible through the MECCA x NGV Women in Design Commission. The NGV warmly thanks MECCA for supporting the acquisition of these works.
ABOUT
Xu Tiantian is an architect and the founding director of DnA_Design and Architecture, based in Beijing, China. Her practice has gained international recognition for its impactful cultural projects. Through contemporary architecture, Xu focuses on protecting and revitalising regional economies and cultural heritage in China. Her design approach emphasises local participation and engagement, empowering communities and fostering a sense of continuity and care in China’s built environment.
Xu has received numerous accolades, including the Swiss Architectural Award (2022), the Berlin Art Prize (2023), the Marcus Prize for Architecture (2023), the Holcim Gold Award for Asia-Pacific (2023), and the UNESCO Global Award for Sustainable Architecture. In 2025, she received the Wolf Prize in Architecture. Xu was also named an International Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 2020 and elected a member of the German Academy of Arts (Akademie der Künste) in 2024.