Extended reality
How might we create a compelling mixed-reality experience that blends art, poetry, and technology,within just two weeks? For a museum event centered on tech culture and innovation, our team set out to design an immersive AR installation that translated Richard Brautigan’s poem Machines of Loving Grace into a spatial, interactive world. Working within tight time constraints and for an audience largely unfamiliar with augmented reality, we developed a cohesive mixed-reality experience that allowed users to step into a digitally layered environment where organic forms and technological systems coexisted, turning abstract poetic themes into embodied exploration.
Our work speaks for itself
What if you could step through a portal and wander through a poem inhabiting a world where technology and nature coexist?
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Mixed-reality environment built in Unity
Enhanced 3D visual assets created in Blender
Spatial interaction choreography within a physical venue
Rapid prototyping and iterative user testing
Cross-disciplinary collaboration across UX, development, and illustration
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Users moved physically through the museum space to activate and discover augmented elements layered into the environment. Rather than relying on heavy interface components, the experience emphasized intuitive spatial navigation and environmental cues, allowing exploration to feel natural and immersive.
Early testing revealed where users hesitated, how first-time AR participants approached interaction, and what moments generated delight. These insights informed refinements to scale, pacing, and clarity, ensuring the final beta felt accessible despite its experimental medium.
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Delivered a functional AR beta within two weeks
Successfully deployed during a live public event
Demonstrated effective cross-disciplinary collaboration under tight constraints
Gained actionable insight into onboarding users new to mixed reality
Established a rapid iteration model for future immersive work
My role and Key Decisions
A key decision was treating physical movement as part of the interface. By minimizing traditional UI and focusing on environmental choreography, we ensured the experience felt exploratory rather than instructional.
Led UX direction for spatial interaction and flow
Translated poetic abstraction into actionable interaction design
Facilitated whiteboarding, sketching, and prototyping sessions
Advocated for early user testing within compressed timelines
Balanced conceptual ambition with technical feasibility
Growth and Responsible AI
This project deepened my understanding of designing for mixed-reality environments, where physical space, storytelling, and digital interaction converge. Future iterations would prioritize expanded accessibility, multi-user synchronization, and scalable onboarding patterns and more visual depth with the aid of AI tools. The experiment reinforced that immersive technology is most effective when clarity, embodiment, and emotional resonance guide the design.