Abstract
Evolution of contemporary exhibition practices has challenged the dominance of the traditional ‘white cube’ model, which emphasizes the autonomy of artworks but often limits emotional engagement. This study examines audience interaction mechanisms and spatial experience in Chinese non-galleries, particularly in tourist, residential, and commercial cultural environments. Usingamixed methodological approach combining field observations, behavioral analysis, and questionnaires, that examine show spatial morphology, curatorialstrategy, and audience behavior together contribute to shaping the immersive experience. The results reveal different behavioral-emotional patterns depending on the type of space: tourist spaces encourage exploration and non-linear walking; residential spaces favor contextual immersion and emotional resonance; while commercial environments emphasize rapid navigation and high exposure frequency. Based on findings, this article proposes the integrated ‘Exhibit-Space-Interaction Node’ model to explain how exhibition experiences are created by spatial dependence and participatory engagement. By integrating service design perspectives into the analysis of spatial behavior, that contributes to a human-centered analytical framework for understanding visitor experience in non-institutional contexts, offers both theoretical and practical implications for the design of future immersive exhibitions.
Keywords
Non-galleryexhibition; Immersiveexperience; Audienceinteraction
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.45
Citation
Li, L.(2025) A study of audience behaviour and interaction mechanisms in immersive non-gallery exhibition spaces: a case study of contemporary exhibition practice in China, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.45
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 3 - Design, Art & Technology
A study of audience behaviour and interaction mechanisms in immersive non-gallery exhibition spaces: a case study of contemporary exhibition practice in China
Evolution of contemporary exhibition practices has challenged the dominance of the traditional ‘white cube’ model, which emphasizes the autonomy of artworks but often limits emotional engagement. This study examines audience interaction mechanisms and spatial experience in Chinese non-galleries, particularly in tourist, residential, and commercial cultural environments. Usingamixed methodological approach combining field observations, behavioral analysis, and questionnaires, that examine show spatial morphology, curatorialstrategy, and audience behavior together contribute to shaping the immersive experience. The results reveal different behavioral-emotional patterns depending on the type of space: tourist spaces encourage exploration and non-linear walking; residential spaces favor contextual immersion and emotional resonance; while commercial environments emphasize rapid navigation and high exposure frequency. Based on findings, this article proposes the integrated ‘Exhibit-Space-Interaction Node’ model to explain how exhibition experiences are created by spatial dependence and participatory engagement. By integrating service design perspectives into the analysis of spatial behavior, that contributes to a human-centered analytical framework for understanding visitor experience in non-institutional contexts, offers both theoretical and practical implications for the design of future immersive exhibitions.