Lu Wenyu facts for kids

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

Early Life and Learning

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

Building a Career

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 many buildings in China were "soulless." They wanted to build in a way that respected old neighborhoods.

Their company became known for using natural materials. These include wood, stones, and mud. They also made sure their buildings 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.

Big 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, Italy. For this project, thousands of recycled tiles were carefully placed in rows. People could walk on bamboo bridges to see them.

Around 2012, Lu Wenyu taught a class at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design for several years. In 2012, she and Wang Shu started a project to change the village of Wencun. By 2016, they had built 14 new houses there. This project was meant to be a model for saving other villages. They later showed the materials used in this project at another art show in Venice in 2016.

In July 2016, Lu Wenyu and Wang Shu gave a special talk about architecture 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 award was for the work he and Lu Wenyu did at their firm. Wang Shu felt that Lu Wenyu should have shared the Pritzker Prize with him.

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.

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. She once said in an interview that she doesn't want people to know too much about her.

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