At the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) unveils Ancient Future, a living exhibition that bridges Bhutanese tradition with advanced technology. Presented in the Arsenale as part of the 19th International Architecture Exhibition curated by Carlo Ratti, the project celebrates the design of Bhutan’s upcoming Gelephu International Airport, where heritage craftsmanship is scaled through robotics.
At the center of the installation are four glulam timber beams, each 3.5 meters long, shaped in the diamond pattern that will define the airport’s mass timber diagrid structure. Two of these beams are hand-carved on site by Bhutanese artisans Sangay Thsering and Yeshi Gyeltshen, while the other two are carved by a robotic milling arm, replicating the artisans’ movements. This real-time collaboration between human and machine presents a compelling case for a future where architecture is both deeply traditional and technologically progressive.
As Giulia Frittoli, Partner at BIG, explains, “The Ancient Future exhibition is about how tradition can evolve without being lost. One of the most striking moments in the process has been seeing a piece of wood carved by hand placed next to one carved by machine. You can tell the difference – but it’s not about one replacing the other. It’s about how they can support each other.”
The symbol of the dragon lies at the core of the project, embodying Bhutan’s national identity. Three dragon carvings, representing past, present, and future, appear throughout the exhibition. A traditional dragon with jewels symbolizes the richness of Bhutan’s natural heritage. A second holds the Dharma Wheel, referencing the current transformation under the Gelephu Mindfulness City initiative. The third, bearing the Double Vajra, imagines a spiritually resilient and adaptive future.
Bjarke Ingels frames the work as a dual journey: “This is not a clash but a convergence, where the traditional adornment of the airport’s superstructure is simultaneously old school and cutting-edge. The future, paradoxically, may only be truly visionary when it remembers the past.”
A documentary film by Laurian Ghinitoiu and Arata Mori accompanies the installation, capturing the choreography of craft and code. Human and robotic gestures echo each other, mirrored movements, contrasting textures, and layered sound, set against scenes from Bhutan’s vibrant cultural landscape. The film is a preview of a longer release scheduled for the end of the Biennale.
Rather than positioning innovation in opposition to heritage, Ancient Future proposes an architectural evolution where the two move forward together. By preserving traditional forms through digital tools, the project reimagines how local identity can inform global design.
After the Biennale, the carved beams will be transported to Bhutan to mark the beginning of construction on the Gelephu International Airport this winter. Positioned in the Himalayas and part of the larger Gelephu Mindfulness City masterplan, the airport will act as a gateway to Bhutan’s next chapter, one built as much on memory as on ambition.
Ancient Future is on view in Venice until November 23, 2025.
All photographs and renderings are courtesy of BIG.
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