City Of Belonging

“City of Belonging” is an augmented reality-powered mobile application, revolutionizing the way individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds navigate new territories. Designed to empower and connect, this app embarks users on enriching journeys, fostering a profound sense of belonging while seamlessly bridging cultures and nurturing a supportive global community for those embarking on new country experiences.

Key Words:
UX Research, UI Design, Augmented Reality

Oct 2022 - Apr 2023

Technology:
Lens Studio
Adobe
Sketch

Individual Project

Problem

Living as an expatriate in the multicultural city of New York and in Abu Dhabi, my own living experiences and my interactions with the diverse community led me to ask:

How might we help immigrants better connect with their new urban environments and build a strong sense of belonging in the city?

Design Solution

A mobile application featured with interactive Augmented Reality(AR) experience.

AR Feature Demo Video

Literature Review

Deconstructing “City Perception” into 3 Aspects:
City, People, and Culture

Acculturation complexity model (ACM)

Ettehad, Sheida, et al. “The Role of Culture in Promoting Architectural Identity.” European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences: Proceedings, vol. 3, no. 4, 2014. Décieux, Jean Philippe, and Elke Murdock. “Sense of Belonging: Predictors for Host Country Attachment among Emigrants.” IMISCOE Research Series, 2021, pp. 265–285, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67498-4_15.

Main Insights from Survey and Interviews

Defining “Sense Of Belonging”

Design Logic (scroll to view)

Design Solution

Application Flow:

AR Demo Design Logic:

AR Experience Storyboard

AR Design Demo:

I designed the AR demo with NYC as a demo place and my Chinese Identity as the demo user for the app.
The three scenes are designed to connect the two culture through city landmark and historical Architecture, mythology, and nastolgical. transportations

Final Outcome

AR Demo （Try it out with SnapChat and the scenes linked below）

APP Demo

City Of Belonging

“City Of Belonging” is an innovative augmented reality app that embarks the users on enriching journeys while connecting them to the city. With a focus on fostering a profound sense of belonging, this app seamlessly bridges different cultures and nurtures a supportive global community for individuals venturing into new country experiences.

Color Palette

UI Aesthetic

My design concept reflects the journey of exploring an unfamiliar city.
• Soft, diffused lighting and gradients -> gradually illuminating a place initially in darkness
• Bright accents -> moments of delight and discovery