Parallel Thesis Show
Augmented reality (webAR) postcards designed as mementoes for the graduating MFA class of 2021, centered around Voices, Culture Studies, and Education themes.
Client: Parsons School of Design
Year: 2021
Roles: Creative Technologist
Parallel Thesis Show, 2021
A series of augmented reality (webAR) postcards designed as mementoes for the graduating MFA DT class of 2021. Centered around themes — Voices, Culture Studies, Education + Action, Fresh Approaches, The Future, Crafted Tales — the postcards showcase student work while directing traffic to portfolio websites and projects on the thesis show website.
The project was a good exercise in AR motion design: each postcard needed its own animated reveal tuned to the student's work, all within the constraints of marker-based webAR on mobile.
Process
- Brainstormed AR concepts with the thesis show organizing team
- Explored technical limitations of marker-based webAR
- Prototyped with A-Frame and AR.js
- Integrated assets from the Design and Postcard teams
- Built and deployed the final webAR experiences
Technical Approach
- WebAR via A-Frame and AR.js — no app install, mobile-accessible
- Marker-based triggering from printed postcard graphics
- Linked each postcard experience to the student's portfolio website and thesis show project page
Featured Student Portfolios
Yichan Wang, Jiangnan Hou, Valerie Lin, Julie Zhu, Sarah Lee
Student Showcase Videos
Yichan Wang
Voices
Power
Advisor
Kyle Li