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Project Overview

An interactive installation reimagining Perth County’s nocturnal wildlife through motion and light.

In my fourth-year GBDA 412 course, the final project was to design an interactive installation that creates meaningful impact through storytelling and innovation, while connecting to the city of Stratford and the Lights On Stratford Festival.

 

Our team developed Nocturnal Visions, an immersive installation that reimagines Perth County’s nocturnal animals through motion-sensing technology, interactive projection, and sound. The project reveals the hidden ecosystem that comes alive while we sleep, inviting audiences to explore wildlife from a new, reimagined perspective.

Timeframe
Team

4 Months

9 Business & Design

Students

(Sept - Dec 2024)

Role

Media Creation & Marketing

  • Visual design, Branding, Marketing

Tools

Figma, Fig Jam, Illustrator, After Effects, ProCreate, TouchDesigner, Webcam Motion Detection

Achievements

  • Placed Top 3 in our cohort and selected to present at the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business​​

  • Showcased to peers, faculty, and members of the Stratford community​

  • Recognized for strong storytelling and technical execution

  • Featured in a StratfordToday article, highlighting the installation’s impact and innovation

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The Challenge

Many people are unaware of the vital roles nocturnal animals play in maintaining ecosystem balance. Because these creatures operate outside our typical daily routines, their importance often goes unnoticed.

How can we reimagine the nighttime environment in a way that fosters awareness, curiosity, and environmental appreciation within communities like Stratford and Perth County?

Objective/Goal

To create an immersive, motion-based installation that reveals the hidden world of Perth County’s nocturnal wildlife and builds a stronger emotional connection to local ecosystems.

Through interactive spotlight visuals, real-time movement, and soundscapes, Nocturnal Visions encourages curiosity, empathy, and environmental stewardship.

How Nocturnal Visions Works

Motion Detection through Webcam

A live webcam captures participant movement in front of the screen.

TouchDesigner as the Core System

Designer served as the foundation for all interactive implementations and real-time visual processing.

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Blob Tracking Technology

Blob tracking allowed multiple participants to interact simultaneously grouping together or separating to reveal different animals and scenes.

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Particle System Integration

A dynamic particle system enhanced visual appeal and increased the sense of immersion, making the nighttime ecosystem feel alive and reactive.

My Contributions

As part of the Media Creation team, I contributed to both the visual experience and promotional efforts of the installation:

Visual Design & Scene Development

  • Designed atmospheric nighttime scenes that balanced realism with artistic interpretation

  • Helped develop the visuals for how animals appeared and disappeared within the spotlight effect

  • Collaborated with the technical team to ensure projections translated seamlessly into the interactive system

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Marketing & Content Creation

  • Supported the creation of promotional materials for social media and event outreach

  • Contributed visual assets and content to help communicate the project’s concept and impact

  • Assisted in shaping cohesive branding across presentation and marketing platforms

Brand Voice

  • Nocturnal Visions’ voice is immersive, educational, and slightly playful to inspire curiosity in viewers about the nocturnal wildlife in Perth County

Core Values

  • Curiosity, New Perspectives, Knowledge Sharing, Engagement

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Why Nocturnal Visions Matter?

Raises awareness about the ecological importance of nocturnal wildlife

Transforms darkness into a space of life and movement, rather than emptiness

Encourages curiosity and empathy toward lesser-seen species

Uses interactive technology to turn passive viewing into active discovery, aligning with Stratford’s artistic and environmental storytelling culture

Interactive Installation | Lights On Stratford Festival

Team Collaboration & Communication

  • Working with designers, technical developers, and marketing contributors showed the value of diverse perspectives. I strengthened my ability to communicate clearly, integrate feedback, and align different aspects of the project.

Empathy-Driven Design

  • Creating interactive scenes of nocturnal wildlife deepened my understanding of audience engagement, curiosity, and environmental awareness. I learned to design experiences that are immersive, clear, and emotionally impactful.

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Iteration & Implementation

  • Prototyping and testing motion detection, projections, and visuals reinforced the importance of continuous refinement. Feedback helped improve usability, responsiveness, and overall cohesion.

Creative & Promotional Integration

  • The project showed how creative storytelling, interactive technology, and marketing work together to make experiences memorable, accessible, and meaningful for audiences.

Learnings & Takeaways :)

Throughout Nocturnal Visions, I gained valuable experience working on an interactive, multidisciplinary project. Collaborating across design, technical, and marketing roles taught me how to translate ideas into immersive experiences, while iteration and testing reinforced the importance of empathy, creativity, and audience-focused design. I also learned how branding and promotion play a key role in shaping audience perception and engagement, ensuring the installation reached and resonated with the community.

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