We all know wonders no longer exist. Nobody builds temples or colossal statues in 2025, right? And yet, to our bewilderment, they are right here in front of our eyes and they’re very, very big.

Wonders of the Modern World is an exhibition curated by Anna Livia Friel and Pier Paolo Tamburelli showcasing eight contemporary architectural wonders—from the Great Mosque of Touba to Mount Rushmore, from the Holy Sanctuary of Fatima to the Sambódromo of Rio de Janeiro. These extraordinary structures, seemingly at odds with the canons of modernism, are presented through a series of sleek architectural models, alongside photographs and videos by Giovanna Silva and Giulio Squillacciotti and a sound installation by Nicola Ratti.

The exhibition invites visitors to look beyond the rigid reductivism of modernist discourse and consider the many ritualistic practices—both religious and secular—that continue to shape our built environment today.

Wonders of the Modern World is the result of a research conducted by the Chair of Gestaltungslehre and Design at Vienna Technical University. The exhibition has been realized with the support of the Austrian Cultural Forum in Milan. The ARCH+ issue will occur soon!

ICA Milano
Via Orobia 26, 20139 Milano
Thursday 2–6 pm
Friday–Saturday 12–7 pm
Closed Sunday—Wednesday