Uluslararası Toplumsal Bilimler Dergisi, cilt.9, sa.3, ss.251-271, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)
This study examines the role of visual communication design in representing cultural heritage through digital tools, with particular attention to the ways in which design practices mediate between historical authenticity and contemporary interpretation. Focusing on A Special Chest (2024), an exhibition at Designmuseum Danmark, the article presents a qualitative analysis based on a semi-structured interview with designer Jakob Thorbek. The project demonstrates how digital interventions, when combined with spatial narrative strategies, can transform traditional exhibition practices into multisensory and immersive experiences.
The narrative structure of the installation emerges through the interplay of architectural space, typography, light, motion graphics, and physical objects. These elements collectively construct a contemporary approach to reinterpreting cultural memory, revealing how design can both preserve historical value and generate new aesthetic meanings. By situating Thorbek’s design philosophy within the broader discourse on digital heritage, the article highlights the importance of interpretive design in shaping visitors’ emotional and cognitive engagement with cultural artifacts.
Ultimately, the study argues that digital tools are not merely technical supports but active contributors to cultural storytelling. They expand the possibilities of museum display by fostering inclusivity, accessibility, and dynamic interaction, positioning visual communication design as a critical medium for both safeguarding and reimagining cultural heritage.