Architecture at the heart of museum curation, Ziyu Liu architectural designer China

Architecture at the Heart of Museum Curation

7 March 2025

Museum exhibitions are designed to captivate visitors with glimpses into the past with various elements at play. One overlooked yet critical aspect of these exhibits is the architectural planning that shapes the visitor’s experience and influences how they interact with exhibits. Ziyu Liu has positioned herself in the intersection of architectural design and historic preservation. Liu’s contributions highlight how architecture can transform the museum experience, one example being her critical role in the impressive “Understanding Sanxingdui” exhibition, which delved into the ancient Sanxingdui culture. Liu’s architectural aptitude elevated the exhibition from an arrangement of archaeological artifacts to a beautiful demonstration of spatial storytelling. Liu conceptualized the exhibition layout with careful precision, crafting a 3,000-year-old ritual scene through expert spatial planning and a complex understanding of how physical space influences human perception.

Liu’s architectural skills allowed her to develop an approach that ensured a cohesive flow throughout the exhibit, guiding visitors through the Sanxingdui culture while crafting an experience that was both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. At the centerpiece of the exhibition was the recreated ritual scene; a crucial element that showcased Liu’s talent for using architecture to evoke powerful connections with the ancient past. Her innate talent for special design enabled her to recreate the scene in a historically accurate manner with great consideration for the space around it, allowing visitors to absorb historical context seamlessly as they moved through the exhibition. When the exhibition traveled to the Dongguan and Shantou Museums, Liu’s adaptability became a defining strength. Each venue presented distinct spatial constraints, challenging her to reconfigure the layout while preserving the exhibition’s immersive quality. This ability to recalibrate architectural design without compromising the visitor experience highlights the technical and creative duality of Liu’s skill set. She not only navigated logistical challenges but elevated the exhibition’s impact by tailoring each space to its unique architectural language.

Beyond the configuration of historical artifacts, Liu has also experimented in integrating modern technology into museum spaces. Her work for the “Teaching and Knowledge Seeking” exhibition at the SUSTech Museum proved to be critical for the success of the exhibition in the wake of unique or unforeseen challenges. Tasked with engaging a young, technologically driven audience, Liu embedded interactive digital elements and multimedia displays into the architectural framework of the exhibition. This design strategy allowed Liu to create an environment where digital interfaces felt like a natural extension of the exhibition’s storytelling. By employing augmented reality and digital projection mapping, Liu transformed static displays into dynamic experiences. Her architectural skills allowed for seamless cohesion between these technologies and the physical experience and layout of the exhibition, ensuring they enhanced rather than overshadowed the historical content.

Liu’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic further showcased her versatility, in the face of unprecedented challenges she quickly adapted her architectural strategies to integrate virtual components and online engagement tools. This pivot illustrated her belief that architecture extends beyond physical walls; it can craft experiences that transcend boundaries and ensure continuity in how audiences engage with history, regardless of circumstance. At its core, Liu’s work is a strong reminder that architecture within museums is not merely about creating the physical space the exhibit occupies, is about constructing environments that foster a dialogue between history and its audience. Through her innovative contributions, she has redefined how museum spaces function, proving that architecture can be as much a storyteller as the exhibits themselves. Her projects invite visitors to not only observe history but to step into it, transforming passive viewing into active participation.

Ziyu Liu is an exceptional professional, her architectural designs not just frame history but animating it. With each project, she reinforces the idea that museum architecture is an art form in its own right—one that shapes how stories of the past are told and how they resonate with future generations. Through her work, Liu is crafting a legacy of spaces where history feels alive, continually inviting discovery and reflection. It is this blend of technical acumen and creative vision that makes Liu an architect whose work is as timeless as the histories she helps bring to life.

A Podcast Episode anout “Understanding Sanxindui”

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