DESIGNBOOM FEATURES BIG'S ‘ANCIENT FUTURE’ EXHIBITION AS AN EXAMPLE OF CRAFT IN THE DIGITAL AGE

Designboom featured Ancient Future: Bridging Bhutan’s Tradition and Innovation, an installation designed by BIG for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025, in a story exploring how architects are reinventing making through robotics and digital fabrication. The article highlights the exhibition’s exploration of the relationship between traditional craftsmanship and machine intelligence, pointing to BIG’s collaboration with Bhutanese artisans and robotic milling technology as an example of how digital tools can amplify, rather than replace, human creativity. Presented in the former shipyard and historic naval complex, the Arsenale, the installation showcases hand-carved timber elements alongside robotically milled counterparts, forming part of a full-scale prototype for the future Gelephu International Airport within Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City masterplan. As noted by BIG Partner-in-Charge Giulia Frittoli, the project proposes a model in which technology acts as an extension of human knowledge, allowing craftsmanship to scale while remaining rooted in artistry and cultural heritage.