Creative Project / Curatorial Project / More
Darkroom Experience
Sep 2024-May 2025
Collaborate with Una Zhang, Seun Elemo, Joyce Zheng,
Cathy Li, Isabel Wu, and Fiona Wang.
My Role：
Designed and led the production of physical products, including miniatures and relief.Participated in the designof the digital product, conducted user research and test.
Tools & Skills
Product Design, Experience Design, 3D Modling, 3D Printing，CNC, Prototyping and User testing
Enhanced the exhibition experience for the second-floor darkroom of the Alice Austen House. Utilized AR, digital fabrication, and other new media technologies to enable the audience to remotely engage with this otherwise inaccessible space. Focusing on integrating educational design with immersive storytelling.
The final deliverables for the client include two 1/12 scale miniatures of the darkroom, a web-based AR experience that introduces the photo-developing process in the darkroom, and physical reliefs of the darkroom’s front view, installed at the first-floor staircase.
The final deliverables for the client include two 1/12 scale miniatures of the darkroom, a web-based AR experience that introduces the photo-developing process in the darkroom, and physical reliefs of the darkroom’s front view, installed at the first-floor staircase.
Design & Context
Our design aims to create an immersive experience for students and visitors at the Alice Austen House, particularly those unable to access the second-floor darkroom due to accessibility constraints. By remotely engaging with this otherwise inaccessible space, the audience can connect with Austen's legacy as a creator, innovator, and inspirational figure in women's and LGBTQ+ history, while gaining insight into the process she used to print her professional photographs.
XR Experience
The final design is an augmented reality experience accessible through the web on visitors' personal mobile devices. This experience features a small, physical miniature of Alice Austen's darkroom as the target, where visitors can use their device's camera to explore the entire photo development process within the miniature.
The experience features seven steps of developing and printing a photo, replicating Alice’s darkroom process. Audiences can follow the navigation step by step or jump to any specific process by clicking the numbered indicators in the navigation bar. At the end of the experience, a “developed” photo will appear as a bonus, signifying the completion of the process.
The final design is an augmented reality experience accessible through the web on visitors' personal mobile devices. This experience features a small, physical miniature of Alice Austen's darkroom as the target, where visitors can use their device's camera to explore the entire photo development process within the miniature.
The experience features seven steps of developing and printing a photo, replicating Alice’s darkroom process. Audiences can follow the navigation step by step or jump to any specific process by clicking the numbered indicators in the navigation bar. At the end of the experience, a “developed” photo will appear as a bonus, signifying the completion of the process.
The experience features seven steps of developing and printing a photo, replicating Alice’s darkroom process. Audiences can follow the navigation step by step or jump to any specific process by clicking the numbered indicators in the navigation bar. At the end of the experience, a “developed” photo will appear as a bonus, signifying the completion of the process.
Porcess
Our process began with individual ideation, with each team member generating at least three concepts informed by the research. We then compared ideas as a group, identifying overlaps and grouping similar concepts together. These clusters were evaluated and ranked based on feasibility and creative potential, allowing early patterns and themes to emerge. Through further synthesis, the ideas were consolidated into a set of overarching themes, which established a clear framework and guided all subsequent design decisions. This framework then informed how we structured and delivered our pitch to the client.
We’ve gone through three feedback meetings with our client before delivering the final product. These sessions were highly valuable, as the client provided unique insights gained from years of operating the museum. The final delivery includes a web-based AR program and two physical miniatures, scaled to 1/12 of the real darkroom’s size, each with a different base. One serves as an AR target for audience interaction, while the other is to showcase the interior of the darkroom.
Relief
The previous information board at the staircase entrance featured a printed photo of the darkroom along with an introductory paragraph. However, its reflective material, combined with the dark image, made it difficult to read and recognize the details.
The upgraded information board replace the information board with a relief representation of the (compressed) front view of the darkroom. It includes key elements such as the iconic three shelves on the left, the corner of the working table, and the ceiling beam. The relief will be painted in a greyish tone to resemble an old black-and-white photograph, enhancing both readability and historical aesthetic.
Porcess
The upgraded corridor replace the information board with a relief representation of the (compressed) front view of the darkroom. It includes key elements such as the iconic three shelves on the left, the corner of the working table, and the ceiling beam. The relief will be painted in a greyish tone to resemble an old black-and-white photograph, enhancing both readability and historical aesthetic.
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