How Modern

Between 1949 and 1979, architecture was a big part of China’s push for socialist modernity. But despite the shifting policies that shaped the country’s buildings, modern Chinese architecture is often seen as uncreative. How Modern: Biographies of Architecture in China 1949–1979, a collaboration between the Canadian Centre for Architecture and M+ Museum, challenges that idea. Using multimedia storytelling, the exhibition uncovers the social and cultural histories behind these buildings, showing their innovation, diversity and global influences while offering a fresh perspective on design under Mao’s rule.