Swords of the Sea

Role: Exhibition Designer & Project Manager

Scope: High-security museum display engineering, fragile artifact preservation, and specialized lighting design.

This exhibition centers on a rare, intact Crusader sword discovered by chance on the seabed off the northern coast, offering a tangible link to medieval maritime battles and hand-to-hand combat. Heavily oxidized and structurally delicate due to centuries underwater, the artifact carries immense historical weight, representing both a precious personal possession and a relic of a violent past.

As the exhibition designer, the objective was to create a focused, high-impact presentation that honored the dramatic history of the weapon while ensuring its rigorous physical preservation.

Engineering & Conservation Challenges

Because of the sword's compromised, heavily rusted condition, the primary design hurdle was engineering an enclosure that balanced absolute protective security with optimal visual presentation:

• Museum-Grade Enclosure Design: Engineered a specialized, climate-controlled display case designed to isolate the fragile iron artifact from external environmental elements, humidity, and atmospheric degradation.

• Precision Structural Support & Lighting: Developed a custom, discreet internal mounting system to support the heavy, irregular blade safely without placing pressure on weakened areas. Integrated specialized internal lighting to highlight the rich textures of the rust and the silhouette of the sword without generating harmful heat inside the case.