Grief Garden
Project Overview
Role: Producer (Lead on Concept + Production)
​Timeline: Jan 2022 – May 2022​
Team: Solo Capstone Project
​Tools: Unreal Engine, Blueprint, Particle Systems, Texture Animation​
Objective: To design and build an immersive VR installation that allows participants to explore themes of grief and mental health through interactive environments and symbolic visual storytelling.
Problem / Inspiration
Grief is a universal human experience, yet it is often difficult to talk about or express. The project set out to create a virtual environment where participants could engage with emotions of loss and healing in a non-linear, symbolic way.
Challenge: How do you make a deeply personal and abstract topic approachable in VR?
The Evolution
With the Covid-19 pandemic entering its third consecutive year in January 2022, millions have lost loved ones. Many have been unable to create proper burials and attend proper funerals for all whom we have lost. Amongst economic hardships, a deadly disease, and the anxiety of the next day in isolation, many have been unable to take time to process the depths of their losses, properly grieve, and care for their mental health. For my project, I created a space for processing grief and stress through the form of an interactive installation, with both virtual reality and physical components. My project is natural, soothing, and restorative.
Healing is both an external and internal process. The physical space allowed people to create space for mourning, grief, and rejuvenation, something that has been greatly overlooked and underperformed during the pandemic. I repurposed glass jars into flower vases and gave out Chamomile and Lavender seeds to attract participants, bring attention to mental health and grief, even in fast-paced work environments. The aims of this project are sustainability and peace -- through grieving an end and staying hopeful for new beginnings.
EXTERNAL
INTERNAL
The VR interactive journey allowed users a private space to reflect on their loved ones and de-stress. It is one depiction of how technology can be used to better process grief and nourish people’s mental health instead of detracting from it. My piece is meant to be inspirational, with an underlying message that with all that is lost, there is still hope, positivity, growth, and rebirth. Conversations I am facilitating with my project are -- how can we honor those who have passed in this deadly disease? How can we take time in our lives to properly process our grief and the lessons that come with it while still remaining hopeful? How have we as a capitalistic society normalized grief and perhaps under prioritized processing the traumas that come with it?
A place to...
Dream.
Honor.
De-Stress.
Research & Discovery
I researched different grief practices and uses of VR in aiding with health and grief. Some of the projects that inspired my project include In the Same Breath, a fabulous documentary by former NYU Journalism student, Nanfu Wang, a TED talk by Nora McInerny on moving forward from grief, and a TED talk by Jason B Rosenthal on the journey through grief.
My research primarily looked at how VR has been used for mental health, interactive art installations, or narrative therapy.
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Through this research, I identified a need for:
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A non-verbal, sensory-driven experience.
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Abstract representations (e.g., particle systems as metaphors for memory or emotion).
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Spaces where users could slow down, reflect, and interact at their own pace.
Concept Development
Prototyping & Testing
Early prototypes tested for:
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Comfort in VR (avoiding motion sickness).
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Clarity of symbolism without text.
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Emotional resonance—did users feel something meaningful?
Iterated based on feedback: Adjusted pacing, added softer lighting, refined interaction cues.
Design & Production
Technical Approach:
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Used Unreal Engine’s particle systems to visualize shifting emotional states.
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Applied texture animation blueprints to bring natural elements (plants, light, air) to life.
Creative Process:
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Designed environments with atmospheric soundscapes.
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Balanced visual abstraction with user-friendly navigation.
Leadership Role:
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Coordinated timelines, tested prototypes, and managed full production cycle from ideation to installation-ready product.
Final Experience
A multi-sensory VR installation where participants:
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Enter a tranquil garden that evolves as they interact.
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Witness grief visualized as dissolving particles, flowing textures, and regrowth.
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Leave with a sense of calm reflection rather than resolution—acknowledging grief as an ongoing process.
Outcome & Impact
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Showed at the 2022 NYU IDM Showcase.
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Audience reactions: Users described the experience as calming, cathartic, and thought-provoking.
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Personal learning:
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How to merge technical VR production with narrative design.
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How to lead a project end-to-end while addressing sensitive subject matter responsibly.
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I tested it the day prior and set up everything to make sure it would work the day of the showcase. Everything ran smoothly. I made sure to have all of the necessary equipment and materials for both the physical and virtual elements of my project. I was very happy with the results.
My deliverables match most of my initial concept, however there were some twists. I decided to not have as much interactivity in the VR portion. I also was unable to achieve cutting glass and creating self-watering planters as the Makerspace machines are not capable of this. I used string lights instead of candles, as candles can be hazardous. Overall, however, I had both a beautiful physical and virtual installation. The VR headset worked out. I added Chamomile and Lavender seeds as a give-away to users. The flowers were beautiful and I also gave those away at the end of the night.
Reflecting
Overall, I would say I did do what I set out to do. I created a space to reflect and talk about mental health and grief. I had both physical and virtual elements. I accomplished the VR portion even though I had never connected a headset to Unreal Engine software before. I took care when crafting the virtual world and executed on my vision. I met with many people for advice and technical support. I learned a lot about VR installations and grief. In addition, I made sure that all videos that I exported and presentations that I created over the semester had a strong vision and brand to them. I made sure they were high quality videos by converting 4K .png sequences from Unreal Engine sequences into .mp4 videos using techniques I learned in Kat Sullivan’s 3D Cinema course.
Unfortunately, I caught Covid the week before the showcase. This set me back a bit. I was unable to add in more interaction and perhaps a dancer. However, looking back on it I almost like it without those things, as I did not want to create a space that was too overwhelming for users. In addition, halfway through the semester my friend gave me an idea that seemed nice to incorporate. Perhaps this would be nice to incorporate in the future on a different project. His idea was to add in 3D models of items that reminded people of their lost loved ones. As this project was meant to be soothing, it may not have been the best fit, however I can see it being a great idea for another time. In addition, I would have liked to 3D model some of my own plants and assets. As there was not enough time and I have no experience in that area I was not able to accomplish this. Finally, it would have been nice to be able to build more into the physical installation. I had a bunch of glass bottles I wanted to turn into planters; however, I found after going through many trainings, that the tools at the Makerspace do not cut through glass, which made me veer in another direction. Overall, I am happy with how everything came together. It was really beautiful to see people enjoying the installation and inspired by the concept.​
The Journey
The Concept
The Evolution