Abstract

Keywords:
Home, Virtual Reality (VR), Multi-sensory, Diaspora, Resilience, Immigration, Narrative immersion, Imagination, Psychology, Emotional impact, Phenomenology

This paper explores how individuals of Asian diasporic backgrounds perceive and reimagine transitioning between homes through Embosom, a multi-sensory Virtual Reality (VR) installation. The project objective is to awaken emotions, resilient stories, and memories. Insights into participants’ emotional feedback are collected through a case study based on an interview questionnaire and survey. Unlike studies focusing on specific locations, this project blurs the lines between reality and the virtual realm, creating a reverie of imaginary remembered spaces. The project combines a physical sculpture with VR visuals and sound to evoke a sense of “home.” Participants, while seated on a soft sculpture, are immersed in a VR scene featuring cultural symbols and walls that shimmer with sparkling particles. Enhanced by a subtle soundtrack, the experience of Embosom, fosters a connection with their homeland. The project’s methodologies, specifically phenomenology and the psychology of home, have informed its design and content. Insights from interviews and surveys indicate a reduction in anxiety and an increased sense of serenity among participants. The findings indicate that VR visuals were the most impactful element, evoking memories and instilling resilience in immigrants, thus fostering a feeling of home in their host country.

• Zhino Yousefi, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada
• Dr. Claire Brunet, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada