Interaction Design | Graphic Design
Beyond Words:
Blow & Bloom
Skills: Touch Designer, TouchOSC, Illustrator
Project Type: Solo Project
Year: 2023
Duration: 2 Months
Beyond Words: Blow & Bloom
is an interactive dandelion that provides a multi-sensory exploration of the Korean language, Hangeul. Drawing inspiration from the language's writing and sound system, this unique experience goes beyond conventional communication tools. Users can gently blow to set the dandelion spinning or blow forcefully to disperse every seed. Additionally, entering a new character generates a new seed accompanied by the joy of hearing the Morse code of each character with 24 different melodies. The collaborative sound and visual design encourage users to interact with the language in a more engaging manner.
Inspired by a personal story with the language
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When I saw a dandelion seed landing in a new place to blossom into a new flower, I found it resemblant to myself flying to Canada and spreading the beauty of my mother tongue, my cultural roots, as a teaching assistant in Korean class on campus.
Inspired by the writing & Sound system of the language
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Hangul has only 24 alphabets yet creates countless sounds in the world. Its unique writing system inspired me to visualise the sound making process where 14 consonants and 10 vowels converge in unique combinations, spinning in different directions. The Korean characters were created with reference to the shapes our body creates when we make the sound, such as the tongue's positions and the lips' shapes. This auditory system of the language is reflected in the sound composition where each character is sprouted playing a corresponding Morse code sound.
Interactive Display
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Showcased at a cultural celebration festival organized by the Department of Languages and World Literatures, the project engaged students and professors, including those from KORN classes, in learning how to spell their names in Korean. The experience of blowing and blooming alphabet seeds, accompanied by Morse code melodies, provided a unique and engaging way for participants to interact with the language.