Nanjing City Wall Museum wins Gold A' Design Award

Nanjing City Wall Museum, an exhibition hall by Yuan Zhuan and Quan Liu, has won a Gold A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design. The recognition spotlights a heritage-focused space in Nanjing that uses artifacts, digital interactivity and immersive design to help visitors of all ages understand the city wall's history.

Why it matters: - The award puts a cultural exhibition project in Nanjing in the spotlight for combining heritage interpretation with accessible public education. - The win signals continued demand for museum spaces that pair authentic artifacts with digital interaction and multi-sensory storytelling. - The project adds to a small but growing set of exhibition designs recognized for helping audiences engage with history in more hands-on ways.

What happened: - The A' Design Award named Nanjing City Wall Museum a Gold winner in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category. - Yuan Zhuan and Quan Liu designed the exhibition hall. - The award announcement was dated September 10, 2026. - The project was recognized for its presentation of the cultural heritage of the Nanjing City Wall to audiences of all ages.

The details: - The exhibition is built around the concept of "Presenting the Wall." - The hall traces the construction, preservation and inheritance of the Nanjing City Wall across five zones. - The design uses city wall gray as the main color, with Forbidden City red and moat blue as accent colors. - A display area made from nearly 1,000 city bricks sourced directly from the Nanjing City Wall anchors the exhibit. - The bricks carry unique inscriptions, and steel structures support their safe display. - The project is the first in China to combine an ancient city sandbox with a colored terrazzo inlaid floor map. - More than 20 modules, including 3D sandboxes, tactile artifacts and interactive installations, are part of the exhibition. - The design is intended to combine a broad narrative view with hands-on engagement. - More information is available on the award page.

Between the lines: - The recognition reflects how heritage projects are increasingly judged on both cultural accuracy and visitor experience. - The mix of physical artifacts and digital modules suggests museums are competing on immersion, not just display. - The project's use of original wall bricks gives the installation a direct material link to the site history, which strengthens authenticity.

What's next: - The award is likely to be used as a credential for future cultural and exhibition design work. - The recognition may encourage more heritage venues to adopt mixed-media, interactive formats. - The team is positioned to build on the project in future culturally focused spatial designs.

The bottom line: - Nanjing City Wall Museum earned top recognition for turning a heritage exhibit into an immersive, technology-enabled public experience.