Jin Fan

Research project

Supervisors: Harald Fredheim (Archaeology) & Lorraine Farrelly (Architecture)

Architecture as Industrial Actor: Museums, Innovation, and Spatial Practice

This research investigates the role of museum architecture during three pivotal moments of industrial transformation: the 1890s, 1960s, and 2010s. It examines how the design, renovation, and expansion of museums were influenced by industrial dynamics—such as capital investment, land policies, technological advancement, leadership ideologies, and the training of craft and design professionals—and how, in turn, these institutions have contributed back to industrial innovation through their spatial, aesthetic, and institutional practices. Through the interplay of the above factors, the study considers the interdisciplinary nature of museum architecture, touching on fields such as museology, urban regeneration, and design education, and repositions architecture as both a medium of expression and a strategic tool for institutional and industrial collaboration. Ultimately, the project frames museum architecture not only as a reflection of industrial aesthetics but also as a site for fostering design-led innovation and cross-sector engagement.

Profile

Jin is a certified engineer and has held a lectureship while simultaneously working in the architectural industry. With extensive management experience on the commercial side of real estate development, she has been actively involved in academic citizenship through projects on urban regeneration and rural revitalization.

In addition to her academic and professional roles, she also served as the director of a contemporary art museum in the Greater Bay Area, where she curated a series of exhibitions, symposiums, and public education programs addressing emerging urban issues through architectural approaches.

Her practice and research revolve around the economic performance of architectural design and the integration of technological advancements within cultural institutions. While emphasizing elegance and innovation in design, she also widely explores cinematic language as a medium for spatial storytelling.

Jin has participated in the Nordic Art Festival, the Hong Kong–Shenzhen Biennale, and the Venice Biennale as an artist. She was awarded the National Art Fund to represent China in art management projects in New York and Los Angeles. She led an architectural tour for Penny Pritzker, then U.S. Secretary of Commerce and a member of the family behind the Pritzker Architecture Prize, during her visit to China.

She earned her MArch from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design after receiving a Norwegian government scholarship to conduct interdisciplinary research in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard— as the only laureate with a design background. She later continued working on a social housing project in Nuuk, Greenland, with support from the local government.

A certified National Level-2 athlete since her teens and a former reserve coxswain for the Beijing Olympic rowing team, Jin now spends freezing winters as a hopeless indoor tennis enthusiast.

Teaching and Impact

Jin has been doing architectural and interdisciplinary teaching across a broad range of modules, including Museum Architecture Design, Adaptive Reuse in Architecture, Industry Collaboration Studio, Urban Analysis and Intervention, Chinese Architectural History, Architectural Material and Model Making, Residential Interior Design, and Architectural Visualization. These courses emphasize compliance with design codes, creative experimentation, contextual awareness, and strong industry integration, often incorporating fieldwork, cross-sector collaboration, and real-world application. 

Furthermore, she has supported teaching in other humanities modules such as Transmissions and Connections, Public History Project Placement, and Explaining Crime and Deviance, where she implemented interactive and reflective teaching strategies—from real-time seminar debates to spatial simulation exercises. In addition, she actively facilitates internship opportunities for students at leading museums, design firms, and cultural institutions, fostering high-level university-industry collaborations. Alongside her academic teaching, she also serves as an external examiner for the Education Ministry of China, contributing to quality assurance and curriculum evaluation in design education at a national level.