Maritime Silk Road: Cruise Ship Aesthetic Design Exhibition with Cross-Cultural Narrative

As the global cruise industry shifts from functionalisation to cultural empowerment, domestically built large cruise ships in China are reimagining the Maritime Silk Road through the lens of Dunhuang aesthetics. The exchange and mutual appreciation of civilisations have become a central theme in contemporary cruise design. Based on that, this exhibition spotlights recent development of cruise aesthetic design at Wuhan University of Technology. Through cruise ship models, renderings and digital visualisations, it showcases the application of narrative design in cruise exteriors and design practices in cross-cultural communication.

The School of Art and Design at Wuhan University of Technology possesses interdisciplinary strengths in naval architecture, ocean engineering, and aesthetic design, and the School of Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University serves as a bridge connecting East Asia with Europe and America, distinguished by a unique international cultural awareness. The two departments have established PolyU-WUT Joint Laboratory on Ship and Marine Aesthetic Design Technology, integrating inter-institutional resources to combine fundamental research with technological development. This exhibition marks the first showcase of the joint laboratory, aiming to advance distinctive development in design disciplines through aesthetic design for ship and ocean engineering, and to encompass disciplinary convergence, educational resources, research projects, industry-academia integration, and talent cultivation.

Aiming to break down technical and cultural barriers in cruise design, this exhibition allows audiences to experience first-hand how symbols from diverse civilisations are translated into cruise design languages through lines, colours and materials. Academically, it maps out the application of narrative design in cruise exteriors and analyses cross-cultural design methodologies, offering practical references for naval architecture and industrial design. The display of physical cruise models builds a collaborative platform for industry-academic joint research, driving cruise design’s upgrade from function-driven to culturally narrative. In doing so, the exhibition contributes to the development of a distinctive Chinese aesthetic within the global conversation on cruise design.

現今全球郵輪産業正從功能化向文化賦能轉型，中國國産大型郵輪以敦煌美學演繹海上絲路，文明交流互鑒成爲郵輪美學設計的核心趨勢。在此背景下，本展覽聚焦武漢理工大學近幾年郵輪美學設計的發展，通過郵輪模型、設計效果圖與數字可視化作品，展現敘事性設計在郵輪外觀中的應用，以及跨文化傳播的設計實踐。

武漢理工大學藝術與設計學院擁有船舶海洋與美學設計的交叉學科優勢，香港理工大學設計學院具有連接東亞與歐美地區的橋樑作用、具備獨到的國際文化意識。兩院成立「船海美學設計技術聯合實驗室」，通過整合校際資源，基礎研究與技術研究相結合。是次展覽即爲聯合實驗室首展，期望以船海美學設計技術推動設計學學科平颱、教育資源、科研項目、産教融合、人才培養等領域特色發展。

展覽旨在打破郵輪設計的技術與文化壁壘，讓觀眾直觀感受不同文明符號如何通過線條、色彩、材質的轉譯，成為郵輪外觀的設計語言。從學術價值來看，展覽梳理了敘事性設計在郵輪外觀中的應用體系，剖析了跨文化傳播的設計方法論，為船舶設計、工業設計等領域提供了實踐參考。同時，通過郵輪模型的實物展示，搭建了產學研交流的平臺，推動郵輪設計從「功能導向」向「文化敘事」升級，助力中國郵輪設計在全球文明對話中形成獨特的美學表達。

主辦 Organiser
武漢理工大學  Wuhan University of Technology
香港理工大學 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

承辦 Organising Institution

香港理工大學—武漢理工大學船海美學設計技術聯合實驗室 PolyU-WUT Joint Laboratory on Ship and Marine Aesthetic Design Technology

協辦 Co-organisers

武漢理工大學藝術與設計學院 School of Art and Design, Wuhan University of Technology
香港理工大學設計學院 School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

總策劃 Chief Planners

潘長學、呂傑鋒 Pan Changxue, Lyu Jiefeng

展覽統籌 Exhibition Coordinators

邵健偉、盧智恒 Kin Wai Michael Siu, Chi Hang Paul Lo

策展人 Curator
陸江豔 Lu Jiangyan

策展助理 Exhibition Assistants
楊祥祥、姜傑、李博、張莉、巫岳峰、付甘雨、孫天為、傅賾隱、蔣千、劉詩宇、殷子由 Yang Xiangxiang, Jiang Jie, Li Bo, Zhang Li, Wu Yuefeng, Fu Ganyu, Sun Tianwei, Fu Zeyin, Jiang Qian, Liu Shiyu, Yin Ziyou Ines

視覺設計 Visual Designers
盧智恒、蔣千、劉詩宇、殷子由 Chi Hang Paul Lo, Jiang Qian, Liu Shiyu, Yin Ziyou Ines

學術支持 Academic Support
中國國家社科基金藝術學專案「中國自主郵輪設計的主題敘事與實踐創新研究」（25BG173)課題組 General Project of National Social Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 25BG173)