October 16, 2025 – The School of Design organized a visit for its international students to the "SEA BEYOND: An Ocean View at PRADA Rong Zhai" exhibition, currently on display at the PRADA Rong Zhai mansion in Shanghai's Jing'an District. The activity aimed to immerse students in an environment where Chinese historical architecture is integrated with contemporary art, thereby broadening their understanding of how traditional architectural spaces can narrate and enhance exhibition themes. Throughout the visit, the students observed, from a professional perspective, how the architectural space accommodated the event’s ocean theme.
Exploring Ocean Narratives within a Chinese Historical Building
The Rong Zhai mansion, an exemplary representative of Shanghai's historical architecture restored by the Prada Group, is hosting the ten-day "SEA BEYOND" exhibition starting on October 10th. The exhibition cleverly utilizes the historically rich spaces of the mansion, employing immersive narrative techniques to explore the intricate relationship between humanity and the ocean.
The international students from the School of Design showed great interest in the design and planning of the space. The exhibition masterfully integrated the ocean theme into every room, creating a unique spatial experience and offering a valuable case study in cross-cultural design for future architects.
Perceiving Ecological Beauty through an Immersive Exhibition
Led by guides, the students explored the site’s public areas. Highlights included the "Tides of Change" installation, where visitors could adjust a timeline to visualize the severity of environmental issues like global warming and rising sea temperatures. Through VR equipment, attendees gained an immersive perspective on the SEA BEYOND project. Additionally, an exhibition of works by ecological photographer Enzo Barracco showcased the beauty of nature from multiple angles.
A Professional Discussion on the Interplay Between Space and Content
Chaperoned by exhibition guides, the students closely examined the architectural design features of Rong Zhai. The intricate staircases and exquisite interior decorations collectively highlighted the unique charm of the mansion's architectural art. One participating student commented, "Rong Zhai is a paradigm of architectural design. Its interior layout and external garden landscape perfectly embody the design principles we study." Visits to such outstanding historical buildings are highly enlightening for international students seeking to understand Chinese culture, historical architecture, and design practices. During the tour, the students meticulously noted the exhibition's spatial layout, circulation design, and use of light and shadow, engaging in in-depth discussions on professional topics such as the adaptive reuse of architectural heritage.
This visit to PRADA Rong Zhai provided the School of Design's international students with an opportunity to connect classroom theory with social practice. Through firsthand experience of the exhibition design and spatial curation within a rich cultural venue, the students expressed a deeper understanding of the diverse possibilities within architecture. They affirmed their intention to innovate boldly in future design practice, exploring the harmonious relationship between architecture, people, and the natural environment.
Contributed by: The School of Design
Editor on Duty: Yan Cheng