UCL-DFPI Yimeng Cheng

DERMATILLOMANIA COMPOSER

(ii) About Dermatillomania

(i) Interviews with experts

(ii) Questionnaires

(iv) Insight & Conclusion

ANALYSIS OF DERMATILLOMANIA

BEHAVIOUR & MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

BEHAVIOUR

05 EARLY EXPERIMENT & USER TEST

MONITORING END

Rubbing-Friction Idiophone

Scratching-Plucked Idiophone

Pulling-Friction Drum

Tearing-Plucked Chordophone

11 ANOTHER PROPOSAL: THE DANCE OF THE THEREMIN

The Food Ecology

Food Culture Context-Based Adaptation

Regional Curation

Against the backdrop of the“Two Mountains Theory”and the Big Food Concept, Siping Village, with its natural landscape and unique medicinal cuisine culture, has been identified as an ideal site for promoting this vision. In recent years, the development focus has shifted from large-scale expansion to refined revitalization, leading the Big Food Pavilion to adopt a localized activation strategy that expands its influence through curatorial interventions, spatial design, and branding. During a multi-week ethnographic field study, key village challenges were identified, centering on food, ecology, and society. The research framework is structured around three key approaches: micro-updates to agricultural landscapes, integrating the village as a living museum; seasonal curatorial programs, connecting food culture with spatial experiences; and a holistic brand ecosystem, strengthening the local food network. One of the key project outcomes, the Big Food Table, will be showcased at the China Pavilion of the ���� Milan Triennale, further extending the project’s reach and impact.

Interaction Design Information Experience Design Narrative Environment

Team Project | ����.��-����.��(ongoing)

In

�� Rural Development · Intervention Strategies

Fixture Design

The change within the unchanging Contents

Whirlpool Changes of the four seasons

Fengshuicompass

Big Food Table Design & Presentation

�� Minor Updates to the Big Food Museum’s Space

�� The Big Food Pavilion & Milan Triennale Pavilion

In this group project, I was responsible for the core component the regional curation themed around the Big Food Concept. Through the curatorial activities of the Big Food Pavilion, I facilitated the integration and utilization of village resources. Additionally, I led the central content framework of the Big Food Table and contributed to the exhibition display design.

The project is currently being updated and is expected to be showcased at the China Pavilion of the ���� Milan Triennale in the first half of ����. The current allocated exhibition booth is No. ��.

Service Design

Interaction Design Cultural Sustainability

Ethnography

Intangible Heritage Revitalization

AI&AR

Intangible heritage faces various challenges in contemporary society. During my nationwide research from 2022 to 2024, visiting over 300 artisans and studying more than 20 heritage crafts, I found that many face issues like aging inheritors, loss of knowledge, limited market demand, and commercialization conflicts. With the rise of digital technologies, it's crucial to protect intangible heritage digitally and educate the public, especially younger generations, about its value. This project aims to design innovative services for heritage revitalization, utilizing storytelling and new media to support better inheritance and development of intangible heritage. It connects online and offline resources through activity check-ins and AI & AR heritage filters as narrative tools. The open social circle feature breaks down the one-way nature of cultural transmission, forming a comprehensive cultural communication network that fosters heritage recognition and transmission.

I am passionate about preserving and passing on intangible cultural heritage. In recent years, I have focused on this field, exploring the heritage and its inheritors along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. So far, I have visited 36 cities, interviewed over 300 artisans and studied more than 20 cultural treasures. Looking ahead, I plan to start in Xinjiang, China, in 2025-2026, travel through Central Asia, and open new routes in South Africa to continue my cultural exploration.

How to promote intangible cultural heritage in a way that resonates with modern young people?

01 Footprints of Intangible Cultural Heritage Research

02 Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor Journey Map

Third-generation

03 Interview

I conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with three intangible cultural heritage artisans, and had the opportunity to learn and experience these three traditional crafts in their studios.

04 Design Goals

05 Persona & Stakeholder Map

07 BJ Fogg’s Behavior Model

08 Information Architecture

10 Interface Design

Palace Carpet Craftsmanship × Stonehenge

This project delves into industrial music as a key milestone in the digital transformation of the physical world, symbolizing the shift from tangible industry to digital realities. It explores the rebellious spirit of industrial music, which continues to shape how we perceive the evolution of industry and its postmodern sounds, influencing human cognition and existential disorientation in the digital age. Through the integration of sound montage and digital visualization, the project highlights the tension between past and present industrial realities. The installation consists of two interactive parts: a particle graphic visualization and a sound wheel, activated by ultrasonic technology and NFC. Users experience a dual perspective: up close, they encounter familiar objects that resemble past industrial products and sounds, while from afar, they observe current industrial products. The interaction with the wheel transcends time and space, creating a closed loop of industrial parts, guiding reflection on the deeper philosophical questions surrounding technological progress and its impact on human existence.

Industrial Echoes

01 Background Research

From oracle bone script to modern encoding systems, we can observe how symbol systems and information technology have evolved alongside human civilization. From cultural heritage to digital expression, digital encoding has become a key link in this transformation. Industrial music, through technological means, converts cultural symbols into modern musical forms, blending tradition with innovation in a unique artistic expression.

Digital Encoding

Material Level:

Documenting the New

The Foundation of Information

02 Conceptual Process

By anchoring the study in Shanghai—a microcosm of China's industrialization that encapsulates the historical trajectory from its modern genesis, through the legacy of the planned economy, to its paradigmatic transformation—the focus on its industrial material systems enables both the deconstruction of technological evolution and power dynamics imprinted in the stratifications of daily life, and the illumination of industrial civilization's dual revolutionary impacts: precision-driven technological breakthroughs propel industrial advancement, while egalitarian efficiency innovations reconfigure socio-ecological structures, together constituting the foundational cipher for deciphering the processes of modernity.

Electronic Systems Transition to Transistor-Era Technologies

06 Installation Design

07 Exhibition Context

08 Details & Narrative

When the ultrasonic sensor detects no presence, on-screen objects deconstruct into transistor particles that pulsate dynamically. When viewed from a distance, this dispersal visualization evokes the fragmentation and disorientation emblematic of the digital age.

Shanghai Industrial Design Museum

“Transition State” Exhibition Curation and Digital Interactive Artwork

Poster Design

Digital Visualization of the Compendium of Materia Medica: Web-Based Platform Heritage Park Relief 3D Mapping Exhibition Hall Interactive Design

Longquan Celadon Sound Walk

Floral Mind Textile Furniture Brand Design

The project focused on the strategic planning and utilization of the museum, retail, and public spaces through five key dimensions: politics, economy, culture, nature, and society. The exhibition activities were structured around five perspectives: holography, multimedia, supply chain, regional integration, and public engagement, ensuring a holistic and immersive experience.

The outcome of this project was a systematic curatorial framework that guided the exhibition’s structure and visitor interaction, culminating in the publication of “Shanghai Industrial Design Museum Idea Memo”, a curated collection of innovative exhibition strategies and insights.

“Transition

State” Exhibition Curation and Digital Interactive Artwork

Heritage Park Relief 3D Mapping Exhibition Hall Interactive Design

This project integrates high-relief sculpture and 3D mapping projection at Tianwang Hall, Tianning Temple. The 68.4m² relief, crafted from PU resin and flame-retardant polystyrene, features a three-layered composition with a maximum depth of 40cm.

The 3D mapping holographic projection enhances storytelling by using dynamic lighting, animation, and visual effects, bringing the relief to life. This fusion of traditional craftsmanship and digital media creates an interactive, immersive experience, transforming the sculpture into a living historical narrative.

Digital Visualization of the Compendium of Materia Medica: Web-Based Platform

This project explores the digital transformation and data visualization of Compendium of Materia Medica, aiming to enhance the accessibility and understanding of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) through modern technology.

By structuring a multi-dimensional herbal database, the research integrates TCM theories such as Yin-Yang, Five Elements, and Hetu Luoshu to develop an interactive, data-driven visualization system.

Through 3D diagrams and dynamic interfaces, the project translates complex herbal knowledge into an engaging and intuitive experience. Beyond academic research, the findings contribute to applications in herbal identification, education, and wellness, offering a contemporary approach to preserving and innovating TCM heritage.

“

Longquan Celadon Sound Walk

Longquan Celadon Sound Walk” is an interactive cultural experience designed to engage audiences with the Longquan Celadon firing technique, a national intangible cultural heritage of China. Developed as part of a multimedia communication course, this project integrates AR technology and sound interaction to highlight the craftsmanship and stories behind Longquan Celadon.

Instead of relying solely on visual presentation, the project explores sound as a medium—specifically the unique cracking sound of celadon glaze—to emphasize the connection between artisans and their craft. Inspired by city walk culture, the project introduces a "sound walk" experience, combining online and offline participation through a checkpoint-based interactive system. This approach enhances engagement and immersion, making heritage more accessible to younger audiences.Beyond promoting cultural appreciation, this project reflects on the digital preservation of intangible heritage, demonstrating how technology and design can open new pathways for cultural transmission and innovation.

Floral Mind – Textile Furniture Brand Design

"Floral Essence" is a textile furniture brand that blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design, creating pieces that embody both aesthetic elegance and cultural heritage. The brand emphasizes fabric artistry, integrating intricate patterns, natural motifs, and sustainable materials to offer furniture that is both visually appealing and deeply rooted in craftsmanship.

Through thoughtful design, Floral Essence seeks to redefine textile furniture as an intersection of function, art, and tradition, bringing warmth and cultural storytelling into modern living spaces.