IMPACT

Imagine a day like any other.
Everything feels normal—until a sudden, blinding white flash engulfs your vision.
In just seconds, the world around you disappears. An atomic bomb has been detonated.

What would you do?
What decisions would you make?
How would such an event affect you?

Our Interactive Exhibition Impact, immerses users in this exact scenario. It invites them to make choices, reflect on their reactions, and confront the profound impact of nuclear warfare on individuals and society.

At the same time, it draws attention to our current global reality—highlighting the ongoing threats and tensions surrounding nuclear weapons. The goal is to foster awareness, provoke critical thinking, and spark conversation.

Collaborators

Philipp Roser and Leon Burg


Timeframe

Mar. - Jul. 2022


My Role

Concept, UI Design, Film Editing







Storytelling

 As a group, we explored various real-life scenarios of nuclear detonation by developing multiple storyboards. These were then translated into flowcharts to map out branching narratives and decision paths.

We created four fictional but research-based scenarios, each imagining different ways a nuclear event might unfold. By comparing these, we analyzed how individual experiences could vary depending on location, timing, and chance.

From these, we selected one story to develop in greater depth.
In this narrative, the user finds themselves in an unnamed major city at the moment of detonation—surviving only because they happen to be underground when the bomb hits. 

Interaction Device

 Next, we focused on developing the interaction method. Since the visuals were projected onto a wall, it was clear the interaction device needed to be a physical object placed in front of the installation.

The result was The Cube—a six-sided object positioned on a podium beneath the projection. Each of its sides is unique, offering both symbolic and functional potential.

We chose the cube for its dual nature: it can be rolled to introduce randomness—reflecting the unpredictability of real life—or deliberately placed on a specific face, representing conscious decision-making.

From the start, our goal was to explore the tension between fate and agency. The cube, with its blend of chance and choice, became the perfect medium to bring that concept to life.




3D Model of the cube

3D Printed cube 

 To make each side of the cube distinct, we designed abstract patterns instead of using numbers or symbols, which felt too much like a regular die. The patterns, inspired by radioactive materials and organic textures, tie in with our visual language and subtly evoke a sense of unease—supporting the atmosphere of the experience.






Context of use

 We designed the project as an interactive exhibition, where one person engages with the installation at a time. This intimate setup allows others to observe and be drawn into the experience—without having to interact themselves.

Each session offers a unique, personal journey shaped by the user’s choices. Like a “choose your own adventure,” the installation simulates the moments following a nuclear detonation, asking:

What would you do?

Through an external interface, participants make decisions that influence their path—while moments of unpredictability remind them that not everything can be controlled.
The exhibition takes place in a darkened room. In front of the user: a large projected screen. Below it, a small pedestal holds the interaction device—inviting the participant to step in, take control, and begin their journey.
We tested the interaction using our prototype in a darkened room to get a better sense of the overall experience.

Visual Design

 All information is accompanied by simple white line illustrations, using varying stroke widths to create depth and focus. Some illustrations incorporate patterns that tie into the cube's design. The style aims to maintain a serious tone while enhancing the visual appeal and overall experience.

Many of the illustrations are subtly animated to capture attention and add complexity to the visuals without being distracting. These animations also help communicate key elements of the story.

During interactive moments, statistics are presented, allowing users to match patterns on the cube with those on the screen. This additional layer of factual information—such as survival chances, radiation levels, and blast radius—deepens the user’s understanding of the event.

Video

 Our video aims to give an insight into what a interaction with our exhibit looks like. We shortend it, to highlight parts that sum up our exhibition fairly well.

previous project
Impressum