Multidisciplinary Project II - Final Assignment
This final assignment focuses on the execution stage, where all my ideation and concept development were translated into a tangible product. Due to time, technical, and resource limitations, the project was developed as a minimum viable product (MVP). The core concept of the project is spatial design, supported by the integration of projection mapping and augmented reality (AR) to create a culturally driven interactive experience.
Rather than aiming for a fully polished commercial installation, my goal was to test the feasibility of the idea and demonstrate how spatial design, projection mapping, and AR could work together within one coherent system. Each outcome was broken down into smaller segments, which I will explain in detail below to show my execution process.
Projection Mapping
For the projection mapping component, I focused on creating a projection mapping experience centred around the Chupu. The Chupu functions as both a cultural artefact and the projection canvas. This part of the project consists of illustration, 2D animation, sound design, projection mapping composition, and a physical porcelain projection canvas created through 3D printing.
Although my original proposal planned for an immersive dome installation with a large curved projection surface, the final outcome was executed in a more limited space. Despite this, the MVP still reflects the core intention of the concept and allowed me to test the visual and narrative flow effectively.
For illustration, Adobe Illustrator was used to create all visual assets. I maintained a consistent art style throughout, mainly using pastel gradients with light-coloured borders. One of the biggest challenges during this process was translating abstract ideas in my mind into visuals while preserving the essence of Baba Nyonya culture and balancing it with my own artistic style. This balance was not easy to achieve, but through iteration and refinement, I was able to reach a result that I felt was acceptable and coherent.
The illustrations were designed with flexibility in mind. Besides being used for projection mapping, they were also adapted into porcelain patterns for the AR application and for a physical AR souvenir concept, where users scan a postcard to activate the AR experience. This required careful planning to ensure that the illustrations worked across both digital and physical formats.
2D Animation
The 2D animation was created using Adobe After Effects. As I was a complete beginner when I started, this was one of the most challenging yet rewarding parts of the project. Before beginning the actual production, I spent a significant amount of time watching tutorials and studying techniques for animations I envisioned, such as flying butterflies, birds, opening windows, falling objects, camera panning, and blinking eyes.
After gaining a basic understanding, I created separate compositions for each scene before combining them into one continuous animation. This helped ensure smoother transitions and avoided a slide-like presentation feeling. I focused heavily on how each scene connects to the next, using motion as a guide for the audience to enter and move through the narrative. For example, the opening window and flying bird act as an invitation into the space, while the transitions between the Chupu opening, dining scene, and bridal elements are visually and thematically connected.
As a beginner, I am satisfied with the final outcome. I spent around two weeks learning After Effects from scratch, and while the animation is not perfect, it is clear, readable, and presentable, which meets my MVP goal.
Sound Design
For sound design, I used Adobe Audition. Once the animation structure was roughly completed, I exported a draft video from After Effects and imported it into Audition as a reference. This helped guide the timing and pacing of the sound design.
I sourced suitable stock audio that reflects Baba Nyonya culture and mood, then edited, trimmed, and tuned the audio to match the animation. The main focus was to ensure that the sound felt natural, well-paced, and synchronized with the visuals, rather than overwhelming the projection.
The porcelain projection canvas was modelled in Blender and exported as an STL file for 3D printing. Before printing, I carefully checked the model to ensure there were no technical issues such as flipped normals, overlapping faces, or incorrect dimensions. The model was printed using PLA material.
Although PLA does not have a fully matte finish, testing with the projector showed that reflections were minimal and acceptable. Considering the constraints, the result was suitable for an MVP and successfully functioned as a physical projection surface.
The AR application was developed using Figma and Unity. Figma was mainly used for UI design, while Unity was used to build the functional prototype.
For the UI design, the process was continuous and iterative. As I tested the user flow in Unity and received feedback from my lecturer, I refined elements such as buttons, panels, and layout. Cultural motifs inspired by Baba Nyonya aesthetics were incorporated to strengthen the visual identity. Additional pages such as a QR redeem page and an information form were added to improve the overall logic and clarity of the user flow.
While Figma allowed me to design the UI and flow, it could not realistically simulate AR interactions such as image target scanning, rotating porcelain models, or triggering pages when conditions are met. Therefore, the Figma prototype mirrors the structure and design of the Unity app, while Unity handles the interactivity and logic.
In Unity, I started by building the overall framework and logic of the app. This included button navigation, event triggers, and setting up Vuforia for AR image targets. After the core logic was in place, I focused on refining the UI, adding UI animations, sound effects, and enhancing the AR experience by adding visual elements to the 3D porcelain model.
Illustrator was used to create UV maps and visual assets, while Blender was used to build and texture the 3D models. The goal was to achieve a balance between visual richness, cultural expression, readability, usability, and interactivity.
Due to deployment costs and licensing limitations, the AR app can currently only be run on my personal device. Despite this limitation, I am proud of the outcome, as it exceeded my initial expectations and demonstrated my ability to independently develop a functional AR prototype.
The spatial design serves as the medium that brings projection mapping and the AR experience together. Based on my proposal, the ideal space is an immersive dome installation with a rattan-inspired structure that reflects cultural craftsmanship.
The spatial structure was modelled in Blender, while projection mapping mockups were created using Adobe Illustrator. Each porcelain scene was mapped onto the curved dome surface to visualize how the projection might appear in a real installation.
Since my Blender rendering skills are still developing, the rendered images did not fully reflect the atmosphere I envisioned. To bridge this gap, I used Photoshop and Procreate to touch up the renders and bring them closer to my intended outcome.
Overall, I would not say that I am fully satisfied with the final outcome, but I believe I have done the best I could within the three-month timeframe. This project required me to learn and apply many skills that I had not previously mastered, as well as completely new tools and workflows.
The process was challenging, but it pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and work across multiple disciplines, including illustration, animation, sound design, 3D modelling, AR development, and spatial visualization. While there is still a lot of room for improvement, the project represents a meaningful learning experience and a strong foundation for future development.
I do not see this as the end of the project. Moving forward, I intend to continue learning, refining my skills, and improving the work beyond this assignment, both technically and conceptually.
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