Korean Pavilion Explores Urban Shrinkage via Catabolism at 2027 Venice Biennale
Curator Janghwan Lee redefines architectural decline as a metabolic process of urban reconfiguration.
1The Catabolism Concept
The 2027 Korean Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale introduces the concept of catabolism to address hyper-shrinkage. Led by curator Janghwan Lee, the project views urban contraction not as a failure, but as a metabolic process. Complex urban structures break down into simpler units, releasing energy for new, adaptive living configurations.
2Urban Perforation Dynamics
Research from the Mid-Size City Forum highlights urban perforation occurring outside major Korean metropolitan regions. As populations age and houses disappear, vacant plots emerge, often becoming parking lots or gardens. This phenomenon forces a shift in architectural focus from expansion to the reconfiguration of existing, scattered urban fabrics and spaces.
3Architectural Incrementalism
The curatorial team advocates for small, incremental interventions rather than large-scale new construction. By subdividing, connecting, and repairing existing buildings, architects respond to the needs of aging residents and new migrants. This approach treats the disappearance of urban functions as a movement toward possibility, avoiding the romanticization of architectural decline.
4Curatorial Team Expertise
Janghwan Lee, head of Urban Operations, leads the project alongside contributors Bae Yoonkyung, Kyo Suk Lee, and Jaehyub Ko. The team bridges academia and practice, drawing on extensive research into small and medium-sized cities. Their collective background includes international experience at firms like OMA, MVRDV, and Urban-Think Tank in Rotterdam.
5Contrasting Urban Realities
While the pavilion focuses on shrinking regions, Seoul continues to pursue massive densification projects. Major developments like the SeoulOne masterplan and the redevelopment of Daegyo Apartments demonstrate a stark contrast. These projects prioritize high-density residential towers, such as the 49-story complex in Daechi-dong, highlighting the uneven nature of national growth.
6Redefining Professional Roles
The project challenges architects to move beyond designing finished volumes. Instead, the role shifts toward dismantling, removing, and reusing materials to manage constant change. By documenting spatial mutations in Korea, the exhibition asks what should remain in cities, emphasizing the architect's responsibility in managing the lifecycle of existing built environments.
7Degrowth as Opportunity
Recognizing the complexity of shrinking cities, the proposal highlights the possibilities offered by degrowth. It rejects the notion that declining space use equals deficiency. Instead, it identifies how new users, including migrants and temporary visitors, bring different rhythms of life, allowing the city to mutate into new, functional, and sustainable scenarios.
8Future Urban Implications
The 2027 exhibition serves as a critical reflection on global demographic change. By analyzing Korea's experience with hyper-shrinkage, the pavilion provides a framework for other nations facing similar population contraction. It underscores that architecture must evolve to support the ongoing, uneven process of urban transformation rather than just new construction.