Guangdong's 700-year-old village debuts at Venice Biennale 2025

Guangdong's 700-year-old Langtou Village made its debut at the opening ceremony of the Venice Biennale 2025 on Saturday, marking it as the first rural revitalization project from China to be featured in the exhibition hall of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.

2025 Venice Architecture Biennale (Photo:  Publicity Department of CPC Huadu District Committee)

Langtou Village is located in Tanbu Town, northwestern Guangzhou City, in South China's Guangdong Province. Founded at the end of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1276), the village is characterized by its vintage, blue-tile constructions in the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1616-1912). Historically, Langtou Village has been renowned for its beautiful environment, abundant resources, and strong emphasis on cultural cultivation and education, earning a reputation as a center for intellectual and academic achievements.

"Langtou Experiment" made debut at 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale (Photo:  Publicity Department of CPC Huadu District Committee)

Starting in September 2021, a series of revitalization measures have injected new life into the old village. In addition to renovating existing structures, various new business forms were introduced and integrated with local systems, creating a vibrant array of living spaces that include arts centers, galleries, exhibition halls, themed homestays, shops, and fairs. Renowned figures from the literary and artistic fields have also visited the village for activities, helping to spread its fame internationally.

 

Langtou Village (Photo:  Publicity Department of CPC Huadu District Committee)

On Saturday, represented by the "Langtou Experiment," the village's renovation was highlighted in the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale exhibition as a prime example of blending tradition with modernity, aligning with the theme of "Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective."

Reporter/Script: Huang Xinyi

Video: Qin Shaolong, Xu Hao

Poster: Qin Shaolong

Editor: Hu Nan, James, Shen He