Case Meditation

Client

A mindfulness retreat event focused on meditation practices.

Task

The client team wanted to set up a VR station at the retreat with immersive meditation experiences.

Challenge

The VR meditation experience was designed exclusively for LBE, so it needed to be "controller-free" with a zero learning curve. Participants should be able to simply put on the headset and begin their practice without lengthy tutorials.

Several types of meditation are available at the retreat center, and the VR experience required an immersive waiting room to ease navigation between meditation options.

The core meditation content was static visuals, and we had the freedom to leverage VR to bring them to life and add depth.

The app's design had to capture the visual essence of the retreat event while staying in line with its tone of voice.

Creative

The client provided us with their brand style, and our job was to adapt it. Additionally, the client wanted to incorporate a chapel into the VR environment, and we recreated this object from photos.

A key aspect of the design was ensuring that it didn’t resemble any existing mythologies or religious symbols. Together with the client, we crafted a unique visual style, which we called Cosmic Byzantium.

We chose a soft, heavenly dawn color palette to evoke the tranquility meditation brings.

The waiting room was carefully crafted. Stars fall, lanterns flicker, and blades of grass sway in the wind – all movements synchronized with a gentle rhythm. This creates a peaceful atmosphere that allows users to calm their minds before the practice.

We arranged the meditation elements to appear progressively, matching the music for a fully immersive experience. The client’s voice was used for the primary instructions to maintain the authenticity of the meditation method.

The user interface is gaze-controlled, offering a 100% intuitive experience, even for first-time VR users.

The experience starts with a brief onboarding: it guides users on how to use gaze control in VR. We tested this feature extensively, and it proved to be intuitive and accessible for everyone

We designed a unique floor surface for the environment. This not only grounded users in the waiting room, but also created a sense of a "safe zone" where they could relax and prepare for the meditation experience.

After users select a meditation, this floor seamlessly follows them into their meditative journey. This transition was visually supported by "rays," inspired by the intro visuals from Studio Ghibli.

Although the cosmic theme might suggest floating in space, we made sure users felt secure by adding spatial support. It prevented any discomfort, especially for those with a fear of heights.

From brainstorming to environment concepting and step-by-step development, we followed the product-oriented approach. We gradually reviewed and refined the deliverables without costly iteration loops.

The process went like this:

Brainstorming → Concepting → 2D images → 360 panoramic images → Viewing the panoramic images through a cloud service in VR. Given how challenging it is to convey VR in 2D, we tailored our communication with the client around actual VR materials. After finalizing the visuals, we moved on to 3D development and production.

*Several years ago, when the project took place, we didn’t have the AI services available to us now. Today neural networks save us significant resources.

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