South Korea's 'Catabolism' Exhibition at the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale: Rethinking Urban Shrinkage
The upcoming 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale will host a significant contribution from South Korea, focusing on the country's unique experience with hyper-shrinkage – an accelerated phase of demographic contraction and societal aging. This curatorial endeavor, aptly titled "Catabolism," aims to reframe the conversation around urban decline, proposing a perspective that views shrinkage not as an end but as a transformative process. The exhibition will delve into how existing urban structures and relationships can be reconfigured to foster new uses and lifestyles, challenging traditional expansion-centric urban development models. Drawing insights from the Mid-Size City Forum's extensive research, "Catabolism" will explore the architectural implications of urban perforation, where vacant plots emerge and buildings are adaptively reused, showcasing the architect's evolving role in dismantling, reusing, and reorganizing in a perpetually changing urban landscape.
South Korea's 'Catabolism' Exhibition Unveils Vision for Urban Transformation at the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale
On October 20, 2026, the Arts Council Korea (ARKO) officially announced its curatorial vision for the South Korean Pavilion at the 2027 International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. The exhibition, named "Catabolism," will be led by esteemed curator Janghwan Lee and will feature the collaborative work of architects Bae Yoonkyung, Kyo Suk Lee, and Jaehyub Ko. This groundbreaking project seeks to address South Korea's profound demographic shifts, particularly its rapid population decline and aging society, a phenomenon termed "hyper-shrinkage."
The central premise of "Catabolism," a term borrowed from metabolic processes where complex molecules break down into simpler units, is to offer a fresh lens through which to understand urban contraction. Moving away from the conventional narrative of urban decay, the curatorial team proposes that shrinkage represents an opportunity for urban reconfiguration, the emergence of new relationships, and the adaptation of spaces for evolving human needs. The exhibition will highlight how areas outside South Korea's major metropolitan hubs are experiencing a gradual decrease in urban intensity, leading to the demolition of vacant properties and the creation of scattered open plots. These plots, often transforming into temporary parking lots, community gardens, or remaining unused, significantly re-sculpt the existing urban fabric and daily life.
Drawing upon the rigorous research and field observations of the Mid-Size City Forum, "Catabolism" will present the concept of "urban perforation." It will showcase various architectural responses to these changes, including the subdivision, connection, demolition, repair, subtraction, and addition of existing buildings to accommodate new and diverse functions. The exhibition aims to demonstrate the architect's crucial role in managing these processes of dismantling, removing, and reusing elements within a constantly changing urban environment.
Curator Janghwan Lee, known for his work with Urban Operations and co-direction of the Mid-Size City Forum, brings a wealth of experience from his time at OMA in Rotterdam and his extensive research into the disappearance of small and medium-sized cities. The contributing architects, Bae Yoonkyung, Kyo Suk Lee, and Jaehyub Ko, each bring unique perspectives on space production, urban design, and the intersection of practice and academia, enriching the exhibition's multifaceted approach to urban transformation.
While the exhibition focuses on shrinkage in smaller cities, it also implicitly contrasts with the ongoing densification projects in South Korea's capital, Seoul. Recent developments like UNS's SeoulOne masterplan for multigenerational living, Heatherwick Studio's transformation of the Daegyo Apartments, and Studio Libeskind's high-density residential towers in Gangnam-gu illustrate a parallel urban narrative of growth and redevelopment in the metropolis. "Catabolism" at the Venice Biennale thus offers a timely and critical examination of how architecture can respond to the complex and often divergent realities of urban evolution.
This innovative approach to urban shrinkage presented by the South Korean Pavilion offers profound insights into the future of architectural practice and urban planning globally. It challenges us to reconsider our understanding of urban vitality, suggesting that growth is not the sole measure of success. Instead, by embracing the principles of "catabolism," cities can find resilience and new forms of dynamism through adaptation, reuse, and the creative re-imagining of existing spaces. This perspective is particularly relevant in an era marked by shifting demographics and environmental concerns, urging architects and policymakers to cultivate an architecture that is not just about building anew, but about thoughtfully engaging with what already exists and what remains.