The week-long Houses of Heaven: Immersive Chinese Caisson Digital Art Exhibition concluded on 24 September, leaving Beijing audiences with a vivid example of how digital technology can revitalise ancient culture. Backed by the 2024 Beijing Cultural Arts Fund and guided by Professor Wang Zhigang of Tsinghua University, the exhibition transformed the Huiduogang Shopping Center into a living laboratory for cultural preservation.

Digital Craftsmanship

Caissons—ornate sunken ceilings found in Chinese temples—symbolise cosmic order and imperial power. Traditionally carved from interlocking wood, they embody centuries of aesthetic and engineering mastery. Houses of Heaven used high-definition scanning, 3D projection and CAVE immersive design to replicate this artistry, inviting visitors to stand beneath animated dragons and phoenixes as if inside a Ming-dynasty hall.

Education and Engagement

A four-part master-class series anchored the project’s educational mission. Talks by Li Weiwei, Zhang Yuan, Lai Weijian, Dr. Sun Jinlong and Tang Chulei offered perspectives from conservation science to interactive media and digital art creation. Free admission and simultaneous livestreaming broadened access, turning the exhibition into a city-wide classroom.

Scholarly Exchange

The final day featured an ambitious academic forum on digital heritage communication. Highlights included Qi Qingguo on the cultural language of digital art, Li Weiwei on 3D data capture, Pei Weiyi on industrial heritage digitisation, and Jia Yue on visual storytelling. Professor Wang Zhigang moderated a round-table that distilled these ideas into a shared roadmap for future practice.

Later, the New Voice Youth Summit, led by POUYA AMANI, brought younger scholars to the fore. Presentations on augmented reality, data visualisation, cross-modal storytelling, and 3D virtual reconstruction showcased a new generation’s creative energy and technological fluency.

Lasting Significance

Beyond record attendance—over one hundred thousand visitors onsite and online—the exhibition demonstrated how digital innovation can safeguard fragile traditions while captivating a modern audience. Organisers plan to expand Houses of Heaven to other cities and international venues, ensuring that the celestial artistry of Chinese caissons resonates far beyond Beijing.