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Narrative Installation Aedificium Musei by Duan Wu

Narrative Installation Aedificium Musei by Duan Wu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum in Architectura Competition Category.


ArgentumArchitectura· 2026

Narrative Installation Aedificium Musei

by Duan Wu

Client: Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts Art Museum

Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum Winner in Architectura Category

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The Design

About Narrative Installation Aedificium Musei

Installatio Narrativa est museum historicum pro campo academiae artium in urbe Guangzhou, Sinis, creatum. Hoc opus aedificium campi exsistens in instrumentum narrationis spatialis transformat, quod architecturam, expositionem, ambitum viridem et media immersiva coniungit. Novem zonae thematicae in circuitu per circiter 2315 metra quadrata dispositae sunt et per atrium centrale cum duobus aditibus coniunguntur. Tabulae tactiles, imagines motu excitatae et illuminatio narrativa visitatoribus permittunt ut suo quisque gradu procedant. Restauratio structuralis levis mutationem spatialem flexibilem sustinet.

The Recognition

About the Praemium A' Design Award Argenteum

Narrative Installation Aedificium Musei victor est Praemii A' Design Award Argenteum, honoris eximie amplissimi formis summi generis, pulchris et conspicuis dati. Victores Argenti opera valde splendida et creandi ingenio praedita sunt, quae praestantem peritiam, talentum et acumen auctorum suorum ostendunt. Exspectatur Narrative Installation Aedificium Musei opus mirabile, exemplare, valde professionale et penitus novum fore. Haec forma Argento victa inventum notabile et admiratum est, quod ad fines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae promovendos confert. Narrative Installation Aedificium Musei creatio est, quam multi invident, quae cupiditates excitat, sensus bonos affert et admirationem miraculumque movet.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties
The project transforms a traditional history museum into a spatial narrative device by integrating architecture, exhibition, landscape, and immersive media. Unlike static displays, it creates an open, interactive environment where viewers actively engage with history through physical, digital, and emotional layers of experience.
Dimensions & Packaging
The total built area is approximately 2315 square meters. The space includes 9 thematic areas, modular exhibition bays, digital interaction zones, and a central foyer with dual access. It integrates digital projection, motion sensors, and scalable display units for real-time updates.
Tags
Spatial Narrative, Immersive Museum, Architectural Storytelling, Campus Memory, Cultural Heritage, Digital Interaction, Experiential Design, Education Space, GAFA Anniversary, Public Engagement
Production Technology
The project employs immersive media, modular exhibition systems, and spatial sequencing techniques. Integration of audiovisual content, narrative lighting, and custom-built interactive installations enhances the user journey. Lightweight structural retrofitting allows for flexible spatial transformation of the existing campus structure.
Design Challenge
The greatest challenge was balancing historical accuracy with contemporary engagement. Adapting an existing space while ensuring architectural integrity and digital functionality required resolving technical, symbolic, and emotional complexities under tight deadlines and budgetary limitations.
Research
A qualitative, user-focused study was conducted to explore spatial narrative in education environments. Methods included archival analysis, stakeholder interviews, and prototyping. Insights revealed the effectiveness of immersive design in enhancing historical engagement, influencing educational institutions seeking experiential storytelling.
Inspiration
Inspired by the 70th anniversary of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, the design reimagines how institutional memory can be conveyed through space. Drawing from contemporary narrative theory and spatial storytelling, it seeks to build a dynamic bridge between historical legacy and the evolving cultural consciousness of future generations.
Project Duration
The project started in October 2022 in Guangzhou, China, and finished in November 2023. It was inaugurated as part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts on the University City campus.
Operation Flow
Visitors move through nine thematic zones laid out in a loop, guided by multimedia storytelling and physical cues. Interaction occurs through touch panels, motion-activated visuals, and layered content, allowing users to navigate at their own pace while forming personal connections with historical content.
Image Credits
Image #1: Photographer Zhang Chao, Narrative Installation, 2023
Image #1: Photographer Zhang Chao, Narrative Installation, 2023
Image #1: Photographer Zhang Chao, Narrative Installation, 2023
Image #1: Photographer Zhang Chao, Narrative Installation, 2023
Image #1: Photographer Zhang Chao, Narrative Installation, 2023

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