This lecture series is for everyone

- Seeking reassurance to find relevance in architecture.

- Seeking space to maneuver inside your discipline

- Seeking opportunities beyond architecture

- Or anyone else fascinated by the versatility and resilience of one of the oldest human activities.

The lecture series of 8 installments, will evolve around a recurrent question, taking the practical and operational angle as point of departure. Therefore, each evening starts with the question: How to…?

The first 4 lectures will cover projects in the West. The last 4 lectures will cover projects in China.

Part 1: The West

• March 4: The Invisible in Architecture. How to write a manifesto?

• March 11: Redefining architecture: How to run a magazine?

• March 18: Architecture of Consequence. How to lead a national pavilion, or a national institute?

• March 25: New Wings for Architecture. How to curate architectural exhibitions?

Part 2: The East

• May 13: Shenzhen Biennale. How to transform an old factory?

• May 20: Design Society. How to start a new museum?

• May 27: Journey to the East. How to approach China?

• June 3: Between mission and modernity. How to keep architecture the cornerstone of humanity?

Ole Bouman

Dutch architectural scholar, historian, and writer, currently a professor at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at Tongji University.

In 2024, Professor Ole Bouman departed from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on February 1st, embarking on a 156-day journey. He cycled 10,756 kilometers to arrive in Shanghai, completing his trans-Eurasian Journey to the East project. The initiative aims to explore architecture as a connector between different civilizations. Bouman has long been dedicated to architectural curation and cultural research, having served as the Director of the Netherlands Architecture Institute (NAi) and the Founding Director of Design Society in Shenzhen. He has curated numerous international exhibitions and is the author of several books, including The Invisible in Architecture.

19:00, Wednesday, March 4, 2026

C1 Conference Room, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University