The Forbidden City: Hidden Route

BYND RECT II (25/26)

BFA Design

Discover BYND RECT II

A cinematic scene of Qing Dynasty officials bowing in the imperial hall, creating a tense and historical atmosphere.

Outline

This project is an interactive treasure-hunt experience designed for the Forbidden City. It focuses on how visitors can explore history in a more active, personal, and immersive way.
Instead of only walking through crowded spaces or listening to fast tour explanations, users can enter a free-roam experience where they discover clues, collect objects, solve simple puzzles, and unlock hidden story routes across different palace spaces.
The project includes a map system, backpack interface, collectible cultural objects, palace clues, and story-based progression. The full map is open from the beginning, but interactive points are gradually unlocked as the user moves through the experience. This gives visitors freedom while still guiding them through a clear historical narrative.
The goal is to make the Forbidden City feel less like a distant historical site and more like a living story that visitors can personally enter, explore, and remember.

Meet the Creative

Jiashun Zhao

D.B.A: Derek

I am a multidisciplinary designer based in New York, with a primary focus on UI/UX, interaction design, and product design. Originally from China, I am currently pursuing a BFA in Design at the School of Visual Arts. Through my academic and creative journey, I have developed a strong interest in how digital systems, visual communication, and interactive experiences can shape the way people understand, connect, and make decisions.

My work often begins with research and observation, then moves into information architecture, interface design, prototyping, and visual storytelling. I am especially interested in turning complex user needs into clear, intuitive, and emotionally meaningful experiences. Across my projects, I explore topics such as emotional connection, accessibility, mobility, urban life, and the relationship between people and emerging technologies.

My practice spans UI/UX design, branding, graphic design, motion systems, and interactive prototyping. I often work with tools such as Figma, TouchDesigner, Adobe Creative Suite, and basic 3D workflows to transform research insights into tangible design outcomes. By combining critical thinking with hands-on experimentation, I aim to create thoughtful digital experiences that bridge people, technology, and everyday life.

Story

The Forbidden City is one of the most important cultural landmarks in China, but for many visitors, the experience can feel rushed and crowded. People often move from one palace to another without enough time to understand the stories behind each space. The architecture is powerful, but the historical meaning can feel distant.

This project began with a question: how can I help visitors build a stronger connection with the Forbidden City through interaction and storytelling?

I designed a treasure-hunt experience where visitors can explore the site through clues, objects, and small puzzles. The user can move freely across the map, but certain interactive points appear as the story develops. By finding objects in different palace spaces, users slowly unlock hidden routes and discover a connected historical narrative.

The experience is inspired by mystery games and museum exploration. A backpack system allows users to keep important objects, while the map helps them understand where to go next. Each object is not only a collectible, but also a piece of historical evidence that pushes the story forward.

The project turns a museum visit into a personal journey. Instead of passively receiving information, visitors actively search, observe, and make connections. My goal is to make history easier to enter, easier to understand, and more memorable through immersive interaction.

A first-person story scene where the player holds the imperial seal and a sword, symbolizing the decision to confront the rebellion.

What We Did

Research
I studied the visitor experience of the Forbidden City, including crowding, limited interaction, and the lack of immersive storytelling.
Experience Design
I designed a free-roam or story based treasure-hunt system where visitors can explore the map, find interactive objects, and unlock story clues.
Game Mechanics
I created core features such as a backpack, collectible objects, palace clues, route discovery, and story progression.
Visual Design
I developed UI screens and visual directions inspired by the Forbidden City’s history, architecture, and cultural atmosphere.
Prototype
I built wireframes and key screens to show how users enter the experience, follow clues, collect objects, and move to the next palace.

A game interface scene set inside a richly decorated Qing Dynasty bedroom, showing a table covered with maps, scrolls, and objects for exploration.

Media

A cinematic opening scene showing Qing officials bowing before the emperor, setting up the historical tension of the story.

A hidden conspiracy scene seen through a narrow view, where officials secretly gather and laugh inside the palace.

A first-person scene where the player holds the imperial seal and sword, marking the start of the mission.

A palace room scene with a map and interface elements, showing how the player begins to explore the space.

A collectible item interface where the player checks cultural objects found during the treasure-hunt experience.

A scroll-style map interface showing unlocked clue locations and the player’s next possible destinations.

A visual style board showing the project’s color palette, inspired by Forbidden City red, gold, cream, black, and gray.

A title poster for the project, using bold typography and Forbidden City-inspired visual textures.