INSPIRATION
The Memory Tree investigates the spatial and material dimensions of contemporary grief practices through a hybrid physical-virtual memorial system. Traditional memorials provide material permanence but limited narrative capacity, while purely digital archives offer malleability at the expense of embodied presence. This project proposes a third approach: a tangible artifact augmented through immersive technology to sustain both constancy and transformation.
The installation operates across two interdependent registers. The 3D-modeled tree structure created in Blender provides persistent material presence independent of network connectivity or platform viability. Through Meta Quest integration built in Unity, this same object reveals stratified memorial content: textual memory, visual documentation, and spatial markers that accumulate temporally.
HOW WE BUILT IT
Unity - unity was used to design the scene and the interaction with the orbs Procreate - to make the sketch of the tree Rodin - Uploaded 2D image created on Procreate and was generated into a corresponding 3D model. Blender - blender was used to refine the 3D design Lovable - was used to create a prototype of how the Memory Tree is supposed to work
CHALLENGES WE RAN THROUGH
Time Constraints
Limited development time reduced the range of interactions we could implement. Originally planned interactions included grabbing, placing, touching, and sensor-based triggers. Final build focuses on core interactions (grab + place), with progression handled through button inputs instead of environmental triggers.
Interaction Scope & Focus
Early iterations featured five different orbs to represent varied memory prompts. To reduce complexity and strengthen the core metaphor, the experience was simplified to a single orb. This allowed us to emphasize intentional placement and reflection rather than multiple mechanics.
User Input & Data Storage
Initial plans included user-generated input through text or voice (voice preferred for VR). Implementing reliable input capture and storage was not feasible within the remaining time. The “answering” phase was reimagined as a guided reflection moment, merging input and reflection into a single contemplative experience.
Balancing Ambition & Feasibility
Several design decisions required scaling back features to ensure stability and clarity. Constraints ultimately helped refine the experience into a focused, emotionally resonant interaction rather than a feature-heavy prototype.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
We are proud that we created a platform designed to support individuals in grief—offering a space where memories of loved ones can be held, shared, and honored both personally and communally. The Memory Tree became not just an interactive experience, but a gentle ritual for reflection and remembrance.
Almost every team member stepped into a role they had little to no prior experience in. For many of us, this was our first time working in Unity at a deeper, more technical level. Despite this steep learning curve, each person took ownership of a component of the project, learning quickly and contributing actively to bring the experience together.
We are especially proud of how the core concept emerged from the merging of our team’s lived experiences and areas of expertise. The Memory Tree sits at the intersection of two central ideas: making through 3D fabrication and grief as both a personal and communal experience. With one team member bringing expertise as a makerspace manager and another drawing from the deeply personal experience of losing a parent, the project became a space where technical skill and emotional truth could build upon one another.
This convergence shaped the direction of the project in a way that felt authentic and intentional. Rather than treating technology as a spectacle, we used it as a vessel to allow physical craft, immersive media, and personal narrative to support one another. We’re proud that the Memory Tree reflects not only what we learned technically, but who we are and what we care about as a team.
WHAT WE LEARNED
We learned that people grieve in deeply different ways, and that leaving a memory of a loved one in a shared space can be a meaningful form of grieving. What matters is not how much is said, but that the memory is given a place to exist.
From a development perspective, we learned that technical feasibility ultimately shapes ideas more than ambition alone. While our early concepts included a wider range of interactions, we were fortunate to recognize when simplicity was the stronger choice. Designing an experience that was technically manageable allowed us to adapt, iterate, and actually execute our core vision.
Although this is not the most ideal or expansive version of the Memory Tree we imagined, it is a realistic and complete one. By slimming down interactions, we preserved clarity, stability, and emotional focus. The message remains clearly delivered: memory does not need complexity to be meaningful.
This experience taught us that working within technical boundaries helped us create something grounded, intentional, and emotionally resonant.
FUTURE PLANS
We plan to have a memory tree that can be used at the same time with a lot of people. Where different people can put at the same time the memory they have of the same individual or someone e
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