A Deep Sea Dining Experience
Future of Shared Spaces
Overview
The goal of this project is to create a space that prioritizes meaningful human engagement and conversation. By incorporating interactive, connected technologies, we develop new ways for collaboration, conversation, and networking.
My team decided to create a conversational dining experience that encourages customers to talk about fears of uncertain or unknown situations, which we all share as humans. We aimed to: use metaphors and symbols that evoke fear; design interactions that immerse our customers in an uncertain situation; and ultimately, inspire conversations about fear among customers.
Project Duration
2 weeks
Tools
Unity, Unreal Engine 5, Rhino 3D, Keyshot, Figma
Collaborator
Max Stockdale
My role
Collaborated in creative concept development; built virtual ocean and particle system; visualized the space in 3D; edited concept video.
Concept
An immersive dining experience that takes customers on a journey into the ocean. The experience consists of four stages, from shallow waters to the deep sea, which corresponds to a four-course tasting menu.
Throughout the dining experience, customers will be dining alone in a submarine-styled pod and engage in discussions with other customers using a seashell walkie-talkie device.
The Story
The Ocean As a Metaphor
The Unknown Abyss: fear often arises from facing the unknown. The vastness of the ocean mirrors the uncertainty and potential dangers that fear can bring.
Isolation and Solitude: the deep sea can be an isolated environment where we are removed from the rest of the world, cutting us off from support and connection with others.
Insights
Fear as a motivation to engage: people are drawn to fear (e.g., horror movies, thrill rides...); fear can sometimes create or strengthen social connections.
Limitations of current dining experiences: Traditional dining setups limit the number of people you can talk to. Current experiential restaurants emphasize the individual.
