Institution
The Wellcome Collection
Discipline
Installation
Role
Experience Designer
Year
10/11/2021
Leaving a Digital Trace
Leaving a Digital Trace
Leaving a Digital Trace
An immersive participatory exhibit inspired by the Wellcome Collection's forest bathing room
An immersive participatory exhibit inspired by the Wellcome Collection's forest bathing room
Role
Experience Designer
Year
10/11/2021
Institution
The Wellcome Collection
Discipline
Installation
Leaving a Digital Trace
An immersive participatory exhibit inspired by the Wellcome Collection's forest bathing room
Project Overview
Project Overview
A multi-sensory installation exploring how moments of presence beyond the experience itself.
A multi-sensory installation exploring how moments of presence beyond the experience itself.
The Wellcome collection - 'Forest Bathing Room'
The Wellcome collection - 'Forest Bathing Room'
The Wellcome collection - 'Forest Bathing Room'
Problem
Problem
People experienced prolonged screen fatigue and sensory overload diminishing presence and quiet reflection.
People experienced prolonged screen fatigue and sensory overload diminishing presence and quiet reflection.
Design Question
Design Question
How might a physical environment offer a restorative, screen-free experience?
How might a physical environment offer a restorative, screen-free experience?
Goal
Goal
To create a calming, screen-free installation that encourages stillness, presence, and gentle connection.
To create a calming, screen-free installation that encourages stillness, presence, and gentle connection.
Constraints
Constraints
• No screens or overt digital interfaces
• Interaction must be optional and unobtrusive
• The quiet, contemplative atmosphere must be preserved
• No screens or overt digital interfaces
Interaction is optional and unobtrusive
Preserve a quiet, contemplative atmosphere
• No screens or overt digital interfaces
Interaction is optional and unobtrusive
Preserve a quiet, contemplative atmosphere
Concept
Concept
The concept enhances the multi-sensory qualities of the Forest Room while preserving its calm, screen-free atmosphere.
It explores subtle actions that allow visitors to acknowledge meaninful moments.
The concept enhances the multi-sensory qualities of the Forest Room while preserving its calm, screen-free atmosphere.
It explores subtle actions that allow visitors to acknowledge meaninful moments.
The concept enhances the multi-sensory qualities of the Forest Room while preserving its calm, screen-free atmosphere.
It explores subtle actions that allow visitors to acknowledge meaninful moments.
Constraints
• No screens or overt digital interfaces
• Interaction must be optional and unobtrusive
• The quiet, contemplative atmosphere must be preserved
Concept
The concept enhances the multi-sensory qualities of the Forest Room while preserving its calm, screen-free atmosphere.
It explores subtle actions that allow visitors to acknowledge meaninful moments.
User Journey Sketches
User Journey Sketches
These sketches represent a visitor’s journey through the Forest Bathing exhibit. The experience is designed to move from orientation to immersion with minimal instruction and maximum agency.
Pre-and Post-Experience Touchpoints
Pre-and Post-Experience Touchpoints
Before entering the installation, visitors receive brief guidelines via a physical kiosk. After leaving, they can continue the experience through a mobile app revisiting moments, capturing reflections and optionally sharing them.
Before entering the installation, visitors receive brief guidelines via a physical kiosk.
After leaving, they can continue the experience through a mobile app revisiting moments, capturing reflections and optionally sharing them.
Welcome
Welcome
Visitors are introduced to the Tranquility Experience and invited to opt in to taking a personal reflection home.
Visitors are introduced to the Tranquility Experience and invited to opt in to taking a personal reflection home.
Start experience
Start experience
A single action begins the experience, ensuring participation is deliberate before entering the space.
A single action begins the experience, ensuring participation is deliberate before entering the space.
Name & email
Name & email
Visitors enter their name and email to personalise the experience and receive a private post-visit link—no account or ongoing commitment required.
Visitors enter their name and email to personalise the experience and receive a private post-visit link—no account or ongoing commitment required.
Confirmation & clicker
Confirmation & clicker
A clicker number is assigned, linking the kiosk setup to moments of calm captured inside the installation.
A clicker number is assigned, linking the kiosk setup to moments of calm captured inside the installation.
Post-Experience Reflection App
Post-Experience Reflection App
The app extends the experience through reflection - allowing visitors to revisit moments and capture them in a personal way.
The app extends the experience through reflection - allowing visitors to revisit moments and capture them in a personal way.
Revisiting the experience
Revisiting the experience
Visitors can return to a quiet moment from the installation and reconnect with how it felt, without replaying the experience in full.
Visitors can return to a quiet moment from the installation and reconnect with how it felt, without replaying the experience in full.
Capturing a personal perspective
Capturing a personal perspective
Visitors are invited to write a short reflection, focusing on a moment that felt most calming or meaningful.
Visitors are invited to write a short reflection, focusing on a moment that felt most calming or meaningful.
Sharing and collective memory
Sharing and collective memory
Reflections can be shared with others, allowing visitors to explore different perspectives and recognise shared moments of presence.
Reflections can be shared with others, allowing visitors to explore different perspectives and recognise shared moments of presence.
Post-Experience Reflection App
Post-Experience Reflection App
A lightweight companion that allows visitors to revisit and reflect after leaving the installation.
A companion that allows visitors to revisit and reflect after leaving the installation.
A companion that allows visitors to revisit and reflect after leaving the installation.
Entry / Invitation
Entry / Invitation
Visitors receive a personal link inviting them to revisit their Tranquility experience.
Visitors receive a personal link inviting them to revisit their Tranquility experience.
Reflection
Reflection
Visitors revisit a moment and write a short personal reflection.
Visitors revisit a moment and write a short personal reflection.
Complete & share
Complete & share
Visitors complete their reflection and can choose to share it or continue exploring the exhibition.
Visitors complete their reflection and can choose to share it or continue exploring the exhibition.
Designing for quiet capture
Designing for quiet capture
Moments are captured through subtle, screen-free interactions embedded within the space—preserving immersion while enabling personal reflection.
Moments are captured through subtle, screen-free interactions embedded within the space—preserving immersion while enabling personal reflection.
3D visualisation of embedded capture points
Visual capture points
Visual capture points
Discreet cameras embedded in the space allow visitors to capture a still visual moment using a handheld clicker—without introducing screens or overt prompts.
Discreet cameras embedded in the space allow visitors to capture a still visual moment using a handheld clicker—without introducing screens or overt prompts.
Ambient sound capture
Ambient sound capture
Ambient sound capture
Directional speakers and microphones capture the ambient soundscape of the installation, preserving the atmosphere of the moment rather than a single focal interaction.
Directional speakers and microphones capture the ambient soundscape of the installation, preserving the atmosphere of the moment rather than a single focal interaction.
Non-recorded immersion
Non-recorded immersion
Some areas of the installation remain entirely non-recorded, offering visitors uninterrupted presence and reinforcing that capture is optional, not expected.
Some areas of the installation remain entirely non-recorded, offering visitors uninterrupted presence and reinforcing that capture is optional, not expected.
Reflection
Reflection
Designing Leaving a Digital Trace shifted my focus from interfaces to atmosphere and restraint. It reinforced how interaction can remain optional, with technology supporting presence rather than competing for attention. If developed further, I would explore how spatial design and capture thresholds shape behaviour over time.
Designing Leaving a Digital Trace shifted my focus from interfaces to atmosphere and restraint. It reinforced how interaction can remain optional, with technology supporting presence rather than competing for attention. If developed further, I would explore how spatial design and capture thresholds shape behaviour over time.