Helysian is an upcoming multimedia exhibition that explores how interactive spatial augmented reality (SAR) can support deep, reflective encounters with cultural heritage and mythology. Inspired by the myth of the Elysian Fields, the experience invites visitors on a symbolic journey from the realm of the living into a mythological afterlife, guided by immersive projections, interactive environments, and embodied narrative design. The exhibition is currently in development.
Helysian blends multiple modes of interaction, gesture tracking, spatial sound, projection mapping, reactive visual environments, and physical sculptures, to construct a nonlinear yet guided passage through ancient themes of life, death, virtue, and transcendence. Central to the exhibition is the Judgement Space, a darkened chamber where visitors encounter the mythological Judges of the Underworld: Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Aeacus. These figures, brought to life through projection onto sculptural forms, assess the visitor’s symbolic “life” through interactive prompts and meditative reflections. Upon being deemed worthy, the visitor enters the Central Room, a projection-mapped representation of the Elysian Fields, where serenity, beauty, and interactivity coexist.
The project contributes to the discourse on embodied interaction and spatial AR in cultural storytelling, proposing an experience architecture where users are not passive observers but reflective participants in a living myth. It argues for the use of SAR not only as a display technology but as a cognitive and emotional interface with symbolic environments.
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From Judgment to Paradise: Designing Reflective Spatial AR Experiences in the Helysian Exhibition