Chinese Paper Umbrella brings tradition and climate awareness to Venice Biennale
MAD Architects has introduced a new installation titled Chinese Paper Umbrella at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. Located in the outdoor garden of the China Pavilion, this project draws from the traditional Chinese oil-paper umbrella and reinterprets it through an architectural lens. Designed by Ma Yansong, the piece blends ancient craftsmanship with responsive technologies to offer visitors a place of calm and introspection.
The canopy structure uses handmade Xuan paper, a material typically reserved for calligraphy and painting in Chinese culture. To adapt the delicate paper to outdoor conditions, it is coated multiple times with tung oil.
This process enhances water resistance while maintaining translucency, allowing soft natural light to filter through and produce ambient shadows that shift throughout the day. This subtle interaction with light and air underscores MAD’s continuing exploration of sensory-driven architecture.
Beyond aesthetic qualities, the Chinese Paper Umbrella also engages with climate conditions through functional technology. A fine misting system, integrated at the highest point of the umbrella, activates automatically in response to heat, helping to cool the area beneath.
Complementing this is an intelligent lighting solution developed by OPPLE Lighting. Their Smart Dynamic Light system adjusts illumination according to changing weather and daylight levels, ensuring that the atmosphere remains inviting throughout the day and into the evening.
As time passes, the oiled paper will age naturally, exposed to sun, wind, and moisture, it gradually takes on a warmer tone and softens in texture. Rather than resisting this process, the project embraces material transformation as a reflection of nature’s influence over time. The evolving appearance invites reflection on impermanence and a deeper connection to the environment.
Situated at the conclusion of the Arsenale exhibition route, the Chinese Paper Umbrella provides more than shelter; it becomes a gathering space that merges ancient symbolism with present-day sensibility. The scale remains intimate, encouraging quiet moments and personal reflection, while its open-air design connects occupants with the surrounding Venetian climate.
The installation forms part of the broader CO–EXIST exhibition curated by Ma Yansong. This year’s China Pavilion responds to the Biennale’s overarching theme “Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective.”
The Chinese Paper Umbrella captures this intersection by integrating traditional craftsmanship with modern environmental design, offering a physical and emotional space shaped by both cultural memory and technological advancement.
All images courtesy of MAD
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