At the 2024 CAA Graduation Exhibition, three graduates from the College of Design & Innovation’s Art and Technology program, Zhu Yan, Tang Hanzhi, and Wang Chenlu, showcased their innovative project “Industrial Surface: From Link to Hyperlink”, winning the gold award. This project, based on the under-construction Industrial Museum, proposes exhibition planning and display design.
The project introduces an information concept model transitioning from links to hyperlinks and is divided into two parts: a mechanical transmission device at the front and a digital network projection at the back. These components echo the origins of Shanghai's industrialization in the textile industry and the cutting-edge information industry of today. The front information disk uses punch cards from textile machines as a method of information storage, serving as one of the project’s inspirations. The mechanical transmission section features interlocking gears that work together to provide power.
Additionally, the digital network connection focuses on weaving the relationships between people, objects, and spaces. The three team members each had distinct roles, creating a narrative of Shanghai’s industrial history through the threads of people, objects, and spaces. Through a thorough historical investigation of Shanghai’s industrial development, they presented an intertwined narrative of the working class, industrial products, and industrial buildings. From human labor to the production of goods and the creation of spaces, the complex interplay of people, objects, and spaces in historical events within a mega-city is depicted.
Finally, the project forms an interactive platform based on hyperlinks, presented as a webpage. This platform aims to uncover folded historical layers within the development of industrial civilization, organically combining physical and digital interactions to showcase an ever-evolving, nonlinear industrial history.
Industrial Surface: From Link to Hyperlink
Artist: Zhu Yan, Tang Hanzhi, Wang Chenlu (School of Design & Innovation)
Instructor: Wang Zhilei, Li Shiqi, Zhang Ting
