What is itWhat makes a building feel alive? For Lina Bo Bardi, it was never about creating a perfect landmark. The Italian-born, Brazil-based architect believed architecture should be a place for people to gather, rest, and live, not something to admire from the outside."Lina Bo Bardi: The Poetry of Survival" is her first major solo exhibition in China, bringing together 300+ works including sketches, models, photographs, furniture, and everyday objects. The exhibition itself follows Lina's ideas: soft linen curtains replace heavy walls, a water installation anchors the space, and you can move freely rather than follow a fixed route. It's a fitting tribute to an architect who once said, "I break walls."
Who is it forLina's work is really about everyday life: how a public square can become a living room for a city, how an old factory can become a community space, and how simple materials can still create something meaningful.Her best-known projects include MASP in São Paulo, with its famous open ground floor returned to the public, and SESC Pompéia, where an abandoned factory became one of Brazil's most loved cultural spaces. Lina's idea of "poor architecture" was not about poverty, but about finding beauty in what already exists: old buildings, local materials, and ordinary objects.
How to buy ticketsIt runs at Power Station of Art from July 25 to October 25. Tickets are 60rmb. You can buy tickets directly through their official channels.While you're there, don't rush out after the exhibition. PSA's third floor currently has two free exhibitions, Carrier Bags from the Peripherals and Beyond the Page at the Espace Gabrielle Chanel, plus Dengdeng Library, an underrated spot for reading, working, or just hiding out with a view of the Huangpu River. Designed by Japanese architect Kazuo Sakamoto, the library's sloping bookshelves create a "valley of books", with around 50,000 books focused on art, design, and architecture. PSA has become one of those cultural spaces where you can spend an entire afternoon without running out of things to see.
