Beneath The Blue
Beneath The Blue
Beneath The Blue
Designing emotional connection through immersive storytelling

Skills

User Research

User Research

Spatial Design

Spatial Design

Multisensory Interaction

Multisensory Interaction

Emotional Storytelling

Emotional Storytelling

Tools

Blender

Blender

Adobe Suite

Adobe Suite

Figma

Figma

Practice

University Project

University Project

Individual

Individual

Timeline

beneath-the-blue

beneath-the-blue

8 Weeks

8 Weeks

The Problem

A Hidden Crisis

Overfishing is often hidden from everyday life, making it difficult for people to fully understand its impact. Current campaigns mainly rely on statistics and information heavy approaches which does raise awareness, but often fails to create a lasting emotional connection or meaningful reflection. due to this, many people understand the issue conceptually but struggle to connect with the real damage it causes to ecosystems and communities.

The Solution

The untold story below the surface

Beneath the Blue is an immersive multi-sensory installation that guides users through a changing underwater environment, emotionally telling the story of overfishing in the Pacific Islands. Rather than relying on text-heavy information, the experience uses atmosphere, pacing, and emotional storytelling to immerse audiences in the ocean’s environmental transformation.

Challenges

Balancing education with immersion

There was a constant risk that the experience could become visually beautiful but emotionally shallow, or alternatively too information heavy and overwhelming for users. Ocean destruction is typically communicated through media and statistics, whereas this project required those concepts to be transformed into physical movement, lighting, pacing, and atmosphere.

Research & Discovery

Understanding the environmental issue and identifying how audiences emotionally engage with conservation topics.

Key Research

Before exploring potential solutions, I wanted to understand both the environmental issue and the audience I was designing for. I investigated how environmental issues are currently communicated and why many campaigns struggle to create lasting emotional impact Alongside this, I explored the behaviours and motivations of families who engage with fishing, as fishing in New Zealand is often experienced as a shared family activity. This research helped identify an opportunity to create an experience that could emotionally engage both side of my audience

Key Research

Before exploring potential solutions, I wanted to understand both the environmental issue and the audience I was designing for. I investigated how environmental issues are currently communicated and why many campaigns struggle to create lasting emotional impact Alongside this, I explored the behaviours and motivations of families who engage with fishing, as fishing in New Zealand is often experienced as a shared family activity. This research helped identify an opportunity to create an experience that could emotionally engage both side of my audience

Multisensory Exploration

Exploring how visual, audio, and tactile experiences influence engagement, learning, and emotional connection.

Multisensory Testing

Before designing the installation itself, I wanted to understand how different sensory experiences influence engagement and learning. The testing revealed that atmospheric visuals and subtle audio cues created the strongest emotional connection, while excessive interaction often distracted users from the intended message.

Multisensory Testing

Before designing the installation itself, I wanted to understand how different sensory experiences influence engagement and learning. The testing revealed that atmospheric visuals and subtle audio cues created the strongest emotional connection, while excessive interaction often distracted users from the intended message.

Storytelling Inspiration

Investigating how immersive environments use emotion and narrative to communicate complex stories

Exhibition Inspiration

To better understand how immersive experiences can communicate complex topics, I looked into the Gallipoli exhibition at Te Papa in Wellington. This exhibit resonated well with me due to how it demonstrated that emotional pacing and atmosphere can create powerful connections between audiences and challenging subject matter

To better understand how immersive experiences can communicate complex topics, I looked into the Gallipoli exhibition at Te Papa in Wellington. This exhibit resonated well with me due to how it demonstrated that emotional pacing and atmosphere can create powerful connections between audiences and challenging subject matter

Spatial Experience Development

Spatial Experience Development

Designing how audiences move through space to create a structured emotional and educational journey

Exhibition Design

Building on the research and storytelling insights, I began exploring how the experience could exist physically within a space. I investigated how spatial design could influence audience movement and emotional progression. Different exhibition layouts were explored to understand how Environmental composition could guide visitors naturally through the experience

Building on the research and storytelling insights, I began exploring how the experience could exist physically within a space. I investigated how spatial design could influence audience movement and emotional progression. Different exhibition layouts were explored to understand how Environmental composition could guide visitors naturally through the experience

Crafting The Narrative

Crafting the emotional journey and visual language that would bring the experience to life

Narrative & Visual Development

Building on the spatial experience, I focused on developing the narrative and visual language of the installation. The experience evolved into a five-stage journey with each stage designed to communicate a different emotional response. In between these stages was the information areas where individuals could take a step back and grasp the problem at hand in a more engaging way

Abundance

Abundance

Decline

Destruction

Aftermath

Recovery

Transitions

Final Outcome

Final Reflection

Words shall come to me some day