The exhibition "Ma Yansong: Architecture and Emotion," presenting the work of Chinese architect Ma Yansong and his globally recognized practice MAD Architects, has opened at the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam, the Netherlands' national museum for architecture, design, and digital culture. Featuring a selection of projects from MAD's international portfolio, the exhibition explores how the studio challenges conventional architectural paradigms through forms influenced by nature and guided by sensorial experience. The exhibition will be on view until 12 October, and on Thursday 26 June, Ma Yansong will be the guest of honour at the Nieuwe Instituut for "An Evening With...", a public program where he will discuss his design philosophy with Aric Chen.
Tracing a trajectory from Ma Yansong's early critiques of modernism to the fluid, expressive forms of his recent work, the exhibition highlights Ma's ongoing effort to challenge the rationalist legacy of modern architecture. Drawing on classical Chinese aesthetics and philosophies, his approach proposes a reconnection between architecture, nature, and emotion, an ethos that has positioned him as a significant voice in contemporary practice. This perspective is explored through dynamic models, multimedia installations, and artistic interpretations that underscore the emotional and cultural dimensions of MAD's work. In recognition of his influence across architecture, culture, and design, Time magazine recently named Ma one of the 100 most influential people of 2025.
The exhibition begins by tracing MAD Architects' early years in China during the early 2000s, a time marked by rapid social change and economic growth. This period includes Ma Yansong engaging in a series of conversations about architecture's role in this transforming context, later published in the 2008 book "MAD Dinner". These discussions coincide with the firm's earliest speculative projects, which are featured at the start of the exhibition. Among them are designs such as Floating Island, a conceptual canopy over the former World Trade Center site in New York; a proposal to transform Beijing's Tiananmen Square into a green park; the 800 Metre Tower, a bent skyscraper commenting on the supertall building trend; and an aquarium conceived from a fish's perspective.
Moving into the early 2010s, the exhibition highlights Ma's response to the alienating urban architecture emerging in China. Rejecting the rigidity of modernism, he embraced shanshui, a traditional Chinese philosophical concept meaning "mountain-water," which represents the dynamic relationship between humans and nature. This influence is visible in the speculative Shanshui City project, inspired by southwestern China's landscapes and the brush techniques of shanshui painting. The section titled "Embodied Nature" further explores how natural elements are woven into MAD's architecture, not only through integrating greenery but by invoking the symbolic and emotional resonance found in classical Chinese art. Projects such as the Shenzhen Bay Culture Park and Amsterdam Zuidas illustrate this approach, while visitors can experience "Unbound Echo," a sound installation by Aimée Theriot that evolves interactively throughout the exhibition.
The exhibition also reveals that Ma's designs begin with hand sketches, underscoring a tangible connection to tradition despite their organic, flowing forms. The "Layered Futures" section features projects like the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles and the Fenix Museum in Rotterdam. Also, an AI installation invites visitors to transform their own sketches into MAD-style designs, referencing Ma's original Tornado sketch. Finally, "Connecting Landscapes" examines how MAD centers human experience in its fluid architectural forms. This approach is showcased in the Baiziwan Social Housing project in Beijing, where residential towers are linked by pathways that mend the urban fabric and promote community. The exhibition also premieres "Beyond the Wall," a video by filmmaker Weichao Xu, a resident of Baiziwan, offering a unique, intimate perspective on life within the complex.
In other news from MAD Architects, the Fenix Museum of Migration recently opened in Rotterdam's city harbour. Located on the Katendrecht peninsula on the south bank of the River Maas, a 100-year-old former warehouse was recently renovated by MAD Architects and Bureau Polderman. The Hainan Science Museum in located on the west coast of Haikou City, is progressing through its construction phases with the expectation of opening for visitors in 2025. Additionally, Ma Yansong curated the CO-EXIST exhibition for the Pavilion of China at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition - La Biennale di Venezia.
