BIG PRESENTS ANCIENT FUTURE: BRIDGING BHUTAN’S TRADITION & INNOVATION AT LA BIENNALE ARCHITETTURA 2025

At the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, curated by Carlo Ratti, BIG unveils Ancient Future: Bridging Bhutan’s Tradition and Innovation. On view at the Arsenale di Venezia through November 23rd, 2025, Ancient Future brings to life the design of Bhutan’s new Gelephu International Airport, celebrating how the rich cultural tradition of Bhutanese woodcarving can be scaled by modern technology. The exhibition showcases Bhutanese artisans Sangay Thsering and Yeshi Gyeltshen, assisted by machines, hand-carving intricate designs into wooden beams that will be used in the airport’s diagrid architecture. Accompanying the live demonstration, a documentary by Laurian Ghinitoiu and Arata Morí provides an intimate portrait of the creative process, revealing the potential of human and algorithmic synergies.    “The Ancient Future exhibition is about how tradition can evolve without being lost. One of the most striking moments in the process has been seeing a piece of wood carved by hand placed next to one carved by machine. You can tell the difference – but it’s not about one replacing the other. It’s about how they can support each other. Machine intelligence allows craft to be scaled, but the artistry and the ideas remain rooted in human hands. The artworks created by local Bhutanese artists reflect the past, present, and future of Bhutan. They show how spirituality, embedded in architecture, carries stories forward and keeps heritage alive within contemporary urban development. This is the synergy we are exploring: by working with machines, we can make architecture more human. Rather than separating heritage and modernity, Ancient Future looks at how the two can grow side by side.” – Giulia Frittoli, Partner, BIG    Ancient Future would not have been made possible without project supporters The Bhutan Foundation, Pro Bhutan e.V., Roca, Schindler, Rockwool, Artemide, Tvitec | Cricursa, Vitra, Squint/Opera, NACO, StructureCraft, and Turner Construction, with special thanks to the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Biennale Architettura 2025.