Stories of What Ifs
What if we could redesign aspects of our personalities, just like we do with our physical appearance? This project explores self-transformation and inner peace through the lens of design, psychology, and visual storytelling.
Client:
GUC
Role:
Year:
2019
The Challenge
People often seek external changes (cosmetic surgery, new styles) to feel better, but what about internal change? The challenge was to visualize something intangible—our emotions, struggles, and personal growth—in a way that resonates deeply with viewers. How can design make self-reflection and transformation feel tangible and relatable?
Process
This project used design thinking to explore inner peace and self-transformation. Through open-ended prompts, interviews, and visual experiments, I helped participants give shape to their emotions, turning abstract concepts into a tangible, immersive experience.
Research & Concept
I designed introspective prompts like:
If you could redesign a part of yourself, what would change?
If inner peace had a form, how would you interact with it?
Insights from these conversations shaped the visual and conceptual direction.
Execution
Experimentation – Tested long-exposure photography, motion blur, and layering to depict emotional transformation.
Studio Photography – Guided participants to express emotions through movement and gestures.
Final Design – Integrated photography, typography, and interactive puzzles, letting participants assemble their own portraits—symbolizing self-reconstruction and growth.
Outcome
A visually immersive magazine blending design, psychology, and storytelling—making self-transformation tangible and deeply personal.
Solution
My solution is an interactive, visually immersive magazine that turns personal struggle into a bridge toward healing. The long-exposure portraits capture raw, unfiltered emotion, exposing the deep, unspoken pain people carry—not their transformation, but the truth of where they are.
Puzzle Element in a Quote: Alongside these images, a puzzle element is embedded within quotes, where participants piece together a hidden word that reflects the state they want to reach within the quote that reflects their struggle and the state. This isn’t just symbolic—it’s an invitation to engage, to see that within every hardship, the answer has always been there, waiting to be acknowledged.
Long-Exposure Portraits: Much like sharing in group therapy, this experience creates a moment of connection—one that lets viewers recognize themselves in others, making healing feel possible. It’s not just something to look at, but something to feel, process, and hold onto—a quiet reminder that self-acceptance starts with seeing yourself clearly.
Key takeaways
Acknowledgment is Transformative: Embracing pain is the essential first step toward change.
Design as Therapy: Visual storytelling can mirror therapeutic processes, turning personal struggles into opportunities for growth.
Soul Work Uncovered: The long-exposure portraits reveal the deep, soulful process of inner healing and self-discovery.
User-Centered Impact: Integrating design thinking with psychological insights creates a meaningful, immersive experience that resonates on both emotional and aesthetic levels.