| Title |
Spatial UX Design for Exhibition Spaces in the Context of Digital Enabler Utilization |
| Authors |
이주영(Lee, Ju-Young) ; 황연숙(Hwang, Yeon-Sook) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.14774/JKIID.2026.35.3.090 |
| Keywords |
Exhibition Space; Digital Enabler; Spatial UX; Digital Paradox |
| Abstract |
As cultural spaces enter the phygital era, exhibition environments increasingly operate as hybrid interfaces combining physical space and digital experience. However, digital enablers often give rise to cognitive overload and techno-stress, referred to as the digital paradox. Despite their prevalence, the spatial integration for digital enablers and its impact on visitor user experience remain insufficiently examined. Therefore, this study investigates the spatial UX elements following the utilization of digital enablers in exhibition spaces and proposes design strategies to enhance usability while mitigating the digital paradox. To achieve this, a systematic literature review and qualitative open coding analysis were conducted. As a result, digital enablers were classified into three categories, and four core spatial UX dimensions-physical sensory environment, information interaction, social engagement, emotional wellbeing-were derived. Baesd on these dimensions, an on-site evaluation checklist was developed and applied to five major exhibition spaces in Seoul, selected for their extensive use of digital technologies. The analysis revealed that accessibility options were often embedded in secondary interface layers, device heights were standardized around adult users, digital guidance systems were poorly aligned with physical signage, audiovisual stimuli frequently overlapped, and recovery spaces following intensive digital experiences were mostly absent. Thus, these spatial conditions were found to exacerbate cognitive fatigue and sensory overload, reinforcing digital paradox. In response, this study proposes spatial UX design strategies including integrating accessibility controls at the initial interface level, adopting adjustable and body-responsive device placements, designing cognitive load mitigation zones, and incorporating emotional recovery spaces. By establishing an integrated evaluation framework linking digital enablers and physical spatial design, this study contributes design principles for inclusive exhibition environments and positions spatial UX as a critical mediator of digital wellbeing in future cultural space research. |