OACITY:
Oasis of the city
Environmental Design
#Public_Design #Concept_Design #Extended_Reality
Ethical XR Zoo for Both Animals and Humans
Team
Suyoung Kwon
Kyuhyeon Lee
Soyeon Hong
Hoeun Hwang
Project Duration
Sep 2017 - Dec 2017
Tools
Photoshop, Illustrator, Rhino 3D, Keyshot
My Role
Ideation, Research, Sketching, 3D Modeling
Overview
Under the theme of "Oasis in the City," we propose a resting place for modern people.
It solves the ethical problems of zoos that have always been at issue under the theme of Animalless Zoos. We also provide new relaxation and experience for people living in the city, creating landscapes and environments that are hard to see and feel in the gray city.
Contents using state-of-the-art technology elements will allow visitors to feel as if they are actually in a wild environment.
Background
A zoo is a place where captive animals are put on display for humans to see. While zoo advocates and conservationists argue that zoos save endangered species and educate the public, the controversy over zoo ethics is growing.
Design Process
Research
What are Zoos For
At first, we researched the purpose and functionality of zoos to understand the basics of zoos in general.
What makes unethical zoos?
According to the research above, the purpose of the zoo is very ethical. Then, why is the ethics of zoos controversial? At the center of the controversy were the excessive commercialization of the zoo, visitor’s bad etiquette, and safety issues.
Status of animal mortality at the zoo
An alternative to the future zoo
Define Problems
More ethical and sustainable zoos are needed that do not harm both animals and the environment, while positive functions of zoos such as recreation and education are maintained.
Ideation
Animalless Zoo Utilizing Current Zoo Facilities
Recognizing this problem, we imagined an ethical zoo in the near future.
🛠 Technology :
1) Virtual Reality
💡 Ideas:
1) Using existing zoo facilities, create similar environments with various wild themes.
2) There are no animals. Visitors wear VR devices and explore virtual spaces decorated like wild environments.
3) Visitors can experience the environment and interact with animals in each theme's virtual environment.
🌟 Benefits:
1) It can break down the ultimate unethical nature of zoos.
2) The 360-degree video shows a more vivid picture of the real wild environment.
3) It offers new hands-on activities that are different from those that harm existing animals.
4) It provides pleasant facilities such as theme parks, not zoos that are smelly and at risk of viruses.
5) In the long run, it costs much less to maintain.
📋 Imageboard:
Development
Ethical Zoo, A New Resting Place in the City
In the first ideation process, we designed a suburban, large VR theme zoo. But again, we imagined a more future zoo. The reason why the current zoo is located in the suburbs is that it has to create an environment in which real animals can live, and the smell of animals affects the surrounding environment a lot. Since we propose a zoo without animals, the zoo did not have to be located in the suburbs. Therefore, we tried to create a new resting space in a busy city by placing a zoo in the center of the city.
🛠 Technology:
1) Mixed Reality
2) Hologram
3) Curved Display
4) Projection Mapping
💡 Ideas:
1) Visitors can conveniently experience fantastic XR Animalless Zoo without wearing a VR device.
2) Create a new resting space for modern people tired of busy daily life.
3) Build an XR zoo with the best accessibility in the middle of Seoul, the capital of Korea.
🌟 Benefits:
1) Through the XR contents, visitors will be able to see the animals from all over the world more vividly.
2) In the middle of Seoul, it offers futuristic and magical experiences.
3) It provides not only visual and auditory content but also the sense of smell and touch.
4) It is located in the metropolitan area, where 50% of South Korea's population is concentrated.
5) Continuous content updates are possible, so visitors can have a new experience every time they visit.
📋 Imageboard:
Expected Effects
Rather than simply ending up as a spectacle or or a short visit by a nearby office worker, the Oacity could provide a relaxation and revitalization place for tired people.
Design Development
Final Design
What is the Oacity?
Oacity solves the ethical problems of zoos that have always been at issue under the theme of Animalless Zoos. We also provide new relaxation and experience for people living in the city, creating landscapes and environments that are hard to see and feel in the gray city.
Concept
Location
Contents
Oacity consists of three floors. We divided the experience at the Oacity into pre-show, main-show, and post-show by dividing it into before, during, and after the exhibition. The main-show consists of five types of natural environments; tropical, desert, savanna, aquarium, and polar.
Thank you!
