Ma Yansong’s name might not be familiar to the mainstream audience yet, but you have most likely seen his work somewhere. A Yale graduate, this Generation X architect has steadily built his reputation on the global architectural stage.

The Beijing-born creative is known for blending traditional Chinese philosophies like feng shui with modern architectural forms. He rose to fame in China for his innovative designs that harmonize natural landscapes with urban environments, establishing his architecture practice, MAD Studio, which has garnered worldwide acclaim.

Recently, Ma Yansong has become particularly active in Europe. He introduced a robust-looking, tornado-like installation in Rotterdam—already impressive—but that wasn’t enough. Yansong then switched gears completely and followed that up with a delicate, artistic, umbrella-like sculpture in Venice.

In May 2025, one of Rotterdam’s most significant events was the opening of the Fenix Museum. This museum occupies the former factory, Fenix, located in the city’s bustling harbor—historically a passageway for migrants and sailors. After two years of construction, it became the Netherlands’ first museum dedicated to the migrant experience. Rotterdam, known for its diverse population, embraced the responsibility of telling the stories of its non-native residents, and the city’s response was enthusiastic.

Aligned with the museum’s theme, Ma Yansong was commissioned to redesign the factory’s central structure. He applied his signature technique of integrating feng shui with the building’s environment, using stainless steel to amplify reflections and creating a metallic whirlwind that rose from the building’s ground-level center. Visitors ascend this sloped installation as they journey into Rotterdam’s museum and migrant history.

Meanwhile, in Venice, Ma Yansong had more freedom to highlight traditional Chinese design elements. During the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, he curated the China Pavilion titled CO-EXIST and created his own artwork too: a massive oil-paper umbrella installation.

Opening on May 10, Ma curated 10 pieces, including this tranquil and visually stunning work. Inspired by the aesthetics of traditional Jiangnan water towns, the umbrella evokes the spirit of Light from the Fuliang 2021 Festival in Hanxi Village, Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, and the Ephemeral Bubble at the 2024 Echigo-Tsumari. The installation beautifully complemented the open-air venue of the Venice Biennale, creating an immersive experience for visitors to think about the microclimate, with fog and light movement.

However, perhaps the tornado in Rotterdam cast its shadow here as well—the umbrella installation was reportedly dismantled early. While some joked about the fate of the artwork, the true reason lies in cost control measures for art commissions at the Venice Biennale. Despite this, Ma Yansong continues to realize his vision across commercial and artistic realms. It’s somewhat poignant that even at such a prestigious event, art installations face challenges like this. Yet, it does not stop Ma from exploring Chinese cultural expression in his work. What will he create next? We eagerly await.

Cover Image via Ma Yansong.