Tíng

Spatial Interactive Immersive Experience

Water is not only a medium for reviving all things but also a language for communication between humans and nature.

The Chinese pronunciation of "pavilion(亭)" is the same as the pronunciation of "stop(停)".

Beyond the phonetic similarity, "亭子" used to be a town where the Song army had the people of Shandong halt and settle by a picturesque setting of green mountains and water. Thus, in ancient China, the term "亭子" carried the implication of "pausing."

Utilizing "亭子" as a medium prompts people in today's bustling era to pause and contemplate nature's language. The project aims to emulate the "moments of communication" between humans and nature, guiding the audience to ponder the often overlooked languages of nature through the fluctuations of water. How will these languages resonate with people's emotions?


Type: Individual Project
Date: July 2023
Dimension: 12m × 2m
Technology: TouchDesigner
Medium: Holographic-gauze
Keywords: Unity of Nature and Man










Healing Within Ripples

Sound & Light & Position Interactive Installation

Healing Within Ripples is an interactive installation that combines sound and light responsiveness to convey the transformative power of emotional release, comparing the cleansing capacity of tears to rain, and symbolizes how this personal healing can ripple outward, influencing and reshaping the world around us.

The inspiration comes from my father’s death. His death made me feel an urgent need to grow up quickly. I believed that even in my grief, I shouldn't cry incessantly, as I felt that tears couldn't solve any problems and it somehow seemed weak. So, I began to hold back my tears, until one day, they could be contained no more...

However the truth is, “Our society looks down on perceived weakness and crying is definitely considered weak.”


Type: Collaborative Project
Date: October 2022
Collaborator: Yanming Qiao (Music Composer)
Position: Concept Developer + Researcher + Designer + Project Researcher
Size: 5m × 3m
Medium: 36 inches Stretchable Bubble Balls With Water
Technology: Arduino IDE
Keywords: Curative, Tearing Like Raining, Change Stereotype





















Starting To Fall

An Interactive Experience Design With Moving Images Projection

Staring To Fall was inspired by Marshall McLuhan's theory “The Medium is the Message,” this project explores how the medium environment shapes human perception of messages. It employs the concept of a “meteor” to illustrate the media's impact on both cultural symbolism and the physical aftermath of celestial events.

The interactive experience invites audiences to participate in a simulated “meteor landing journey.“ The project consists of two elements: a moving image projection and four pressure-sensitive mats. Audiences standing on these mats can trigger the varying speeds of a metaphorical “fall.”

The content for the moving images is sourced from the latest comments on the Instagram hashtag #meteor, enabling participants to experience a zooming in and out effect, simulating a fall from space to Earth. The mats, designed to resemble “meteor craters,” physically embody McLuhan's concept of the medium “shaping” or “massaging” human perception of messages.

Type: Individual Project

Date: September 2023

Dimensions: 6m × 4m

Mediums: Projection, Pressure Sensor, Resin, Gravity

Technology: Arduino IDE, Processing, After Effects
Outcome: Moving images projected onto the ground, 4 gravity-stimulated massage mats

Keywords: Medium Shaping, Falling Impact, Meteor Biase



























Weather As Expression

Interactive Weather Condition Cards Archive

Weather As Expression is an interactive card series archive that portrays nature as an artist, creating meditative artwork through sky, cloud, and weather. Each layer on its on can as a compressed symbol, but when three layers stack together on transparent card, they can represent something else.

By sifting through the cards, users are given a chance to contemplate their inner states, past events, and the passage of time.


Type: Individual Project
Date: April 2023
Technology: Adobe Illustrator, Procreate
Size: 6 × 6 inch
Printing: CMYK, Laser Printer, On transparent durable film paper
Keywords: Passage of Time, Emotions Archive, Playful Cards




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Creative Examples

Layers of Cards













Technology Virus

Interactive Game Installation With Animation

Technology Virus is a speculative design project investigates humanity's deepening dependency on technology, envisioning its growth as a virus that culminates in a significant societal split by 2200.

It hypothesizes a world divided into two distinct societies: one deeply integrated with technology, and another adhering to traditional ways. The project aims to speculate on the consequences of this technological “breakout”, exploring the potential impacts on society, culture, and human identity. Ultimately, it serves as a cautionary tale, underscoring the importance of being mindful of rapid technological advancements and their far-reaching effects.


Type: Individual Project
Date: April 2022
Size: 50cm × 35cm
Medium: Holographic projection film, Pressure Sensor, Acrylic Installation, Marbles
Technology: Arduino IDE, TochDesigner, Blender
Keywords: IR4, Digital Divide, Speculative Design, Future Worl








































© Mengqi Shen

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