ROLE
ART DIRECTOR & DESIGNER
CLIENT
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY — SENIOR DESIGN SHOW
PROJECT TYPE
EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN, BRAND IDENTITY, INSTALLATION, PRINT DESIGN
PROJECT OVERVIEW
THE PROBLEM:
FOR OUR SENIOR EXHIBITION, WE WANTED TO CREATE AN EXPERIENCE THAT ADDRESSED A VERY MODERN DISCONNECT: OUR GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH TECHNOLOGY AND OUR DECLINING CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD. RATHER THAN SIMPLY PRESENTING INFORMATION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, WE WANTED VISITORS TO PHYSICALLY EXPERIENCE THE TENSION BETWEEN CONVENIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND BEING PRESENT IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
MY SOLUTION:
OUR LARGER EXHIBITION EXPLORED DIFFERENT FORMS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, WHILE I FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON ADDICTION AND SCREEN TIME. I DEVELOPED TOUCH GRASS, AN INTERACTIVE INSTALLATION BUILT AROUND THE IDEA THAT SOMETIMES THE MOST MEANINGFUL WAY TO RECONNECT IS TO SIMPLY PUT THE PHONE DOWN AND ENGAGE WITH YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
I TRANSLATED THAT CONCEPT INTO AN IMMERSIVE LOUNGE WHERE VISITORS WERE ENCOURAGED TO LEAVE THEIR PHONES BEHIND, SLOW DOWN, AND RECONNECT WITH THEIR SENSES.
THE EXPERIENCE WAS STRUCTURED AS A SIMPLE JOURNEY:
PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY → EXPLORE THE LOUNGE → ENGAGE YOUR FIVE SENSES → COMPLETE THE GROUNDING GUIDE → TAKE THE EXPERIENCE HOME
Concept Ideation
I DESIGNED THE VISUAL LANGUAGE AND INTERACTIVE ELEMENTS TO MAKE THE EXPERIENCE FEEL PLAYFUL RATHER THAN PREACHY. A PHONE JAIL, GRASS-COVERED SURFACES, PLANTS, AND NATURAL FORMS CREATED A PHYSICAL CONTRAST BETWEEN THE DIGITAL AND NATURAL WORLDS. VISITORS COULD THEN COMPLETE A 5-4-3-2-1 GROUNDING EXERCISE TO RECEIVE A SEED PACKET & GROUNDING CARD TO TAKE HOME, EXTENDING THE EXPERIENCE BEYOND THE EXHIBITION.
THE PROJECT BECAME AN EXPLORATION OF HOW ENVIRONMENTAL STORYTELLING, EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN, AND BEHAVIORAL PSYCHOLOGY CAN WORK TOGETHER. INSTEAD OF TELLING PEOPLE TO DISCONNECT, TOUCH GRASS GAVE THEM A TANGIBLE REASON (AND A PHYSICAL SPACE) TO DO IT.
Guide Designs & Gallery
