Lu Wenyu facts for kids

Lu Wenyu (Chinese: 陆文宇; born 1967) is a talented architect from China. She helped start a company called Amateur Architecture Studio in Hangzhou, China. This company became famous for using natural materials and old building methods. In 2010, Lu Wenyu and her partner, Wang Shu, won a special award called the Schelling Architecture Prize for their amazing work.

Early Life and Learning

Lu Wenyu grew up in Urumqi, a city in Xinjiang, a far western part of China. Her school teacher used to be an architect. This teacher taught Lu Wenyu how to draw. They also encouraged her to study architecture at Nanjing Institute of Technology.

Her Career as an Architect

Starting Amateur Architecture Studio

In 1997, Lu Wenyu and her business partner, Wang Shu, started Amateur Architecture Studio. They chose this name because they felt that much of the "professional" building in China was boring. They believed this kind of building was destroying many old neighborhoods.

Their studio became known for using natural materials. These included wood, stones, and mud. They wanted their buildings to fit in with the surrounding landscape. Lu Wenyu once said that they spend a lot of time trying to bring back old building skills. They learn these skills hand-to-hand to keep traditions alive.

Major Projects and Teaching

From 2003 to 2008, Lu Wenyu worked on the Ningbo History Museum. In 2006, she helped create the Tiled Garden for an art show in Venice. For this, thousands of recycled tiles were carefully laid out. People could walk over them on bamboo bridges.

Around 2012, she taught a course at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design for several years. In 2012, she and Wang Shu started changing a village called Wencun. By 2016, they had built 14 new houses there. This project was meant to be an example for saving other villages.

In July 2016, Lu Wenyu and Wang Shu gave a talk at The Royal Academy. In 2017, some of Lu Wenyu's work was shown in Louisiana. This included photos, models, and material samples. She and Wang also designed the Huang Gonwang Museum in Fuyang.

Awards and Recognition

In 2010, Lu Wenyu and Wang Shu won the German Schelling Architecture Prize together.

In 2012, Wang Shu received the Pritzker Prize. This is a very important award in architecture. Wang Shu felt that Lu Wenyu should have shared the prize with him. They had done all the work together at their firm.

In 2019, Lu Wenyu received the Gold Medal of Tau Sigma Delta. She also helps decide the winners for the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

Her Personal Life

Lu Wenyu met her husband, architect Wang Shu, when they were both studying architecture. They have a son together.

Lu Wenyu prefers not to speak in public very often. She once said in an interview, "I don't want the public to know much about me."

Notable Works

The Ningbo History Museum, completed in 2008.

• Library of Wenzheng College, Soochow University, China (2000)
• Ningbo Contemporary Art Museum, Ningbo, China (2005)
• Five Scattered Houses, Ningbo, China (2005)
• Xiangshan Campus, China Academy of Art (Phase I) Hangzhou, China (2004)
• Xiangshan Campus, China Academy of Art (Phase II) Hangzhou, China (2007)
• Ceramic House, Jinhua, China (2006)
• Vertical Courtyard Apartments, Hangzhou, China (2007)
• Ningbo History Museum, Ningbo, China (2008)
• Exhibition Hall of the Imperial Street of Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou, China (2009)

See also

In Spanish: Lu Wenyu para niños