Timeless Harmony is content strategy and proof of concept for a co-creative interaction proposing a collaborative future for the relationship between Japan's humanity, technology, and nature.
Project Length: 6 weeks (Fall 2023)
Team
Individual, Haeyoung Kim (Professor)
Role
Design Research, Experience Design, Interaction Design, VIsual Systems
Tools
Rhino, TouchDesigner, Aftereffects, Illustrator, Photoshop, Arduino
Proof of Concept for Proposed Co-Creative Experience
Project Context
Designed a speculative national pavilion guest experience and co-creative activity that communicates Japan's sustainability goals to an international audience.
Co-Creative Experience
Pavilion Theme: Timeless Harmony
A story about the past and future of a harmonious human relationship with technological innovation and environmental preservation.
Co-Creative Experience
Nature, Technology, Humanity
There are several famous animations that depict different tense and harmonious relationships between the three.
Content Strategy
From traditional textile to futuristic robotics, a thread of high quality craftsmanship and attention to detail persists, a characteristic of Japanese society.
Co-Creative Experience
Circulation of Life
Assisted by Kumo, an AI powered character, nature flourishes when humans and technology cooperate with each other.
Use Case Diagram
Find a Seed
Shift sand for digitally projected "seeds" that reveal themselves at certain elevations of sand, traveling either by air (ceiling) or water (ground) to the wall (the biome).
Grow with Kumo
Approach a seed or a plant and Kumo, an AI powered character, will appear. They will guide a breathing activity to grow the plant. This can be done individually or in groups up to 3 people for rapid growth!
Restore Biodiversity
With more restored plant life, endangered species return to the scene. Through breathing, guests work together to revitalize the space and learn about Japan's biomes and native species in the process.
Visual System
The World of Kumo
At full scale, the co-creative space has three walls, each with a different biome projected (tundra, forest, coastal). I fleshed out the early visual style for what species and animals the tundra wall would habitat.
Tech Diagram
Sensors, Cameras, and Projections
Using limited resources, I showed proof of concept through physical prototyping—this is the proposed set up at full scale.
The system proposes the use of multiple projectors for seamless display, a Kinect camera for live depth tracking, and CO2 sensors to detect breathing input.
Prototyping
Imbuing Tangible Interaction with Tech
Proposing the usage of analytical and conversational capabilities of AI(Kumo) to assist humans in optimal ways of preserving the existing biodiversity.
From left to right: Prototyping the sandbox experience using kinetic sand, phone, and script that captures images and assigns color based on relative distance from the camera.
Design & Concept Research
Society Reflected Through Pop Culture
As pop culture stems from the societal environment at the time, I was inspired by animated narratives and icons throughout Japanese history that would be recognizable to international audiences, transcending language barriers.
Mapping of precedent studies, research, and content strategy for overall pavilion experience
