BRAVE NEW WORLD
What defines happiness in a city? This project explores the concept of urban happiness by analyzing the 2019 City Happiness Index Report. We examined eight countries, visualizing their happiness indicators through interactive and graphic design. By questioning whether high scores truly equate to happiness, we delved into the tension between objective metrics (GDP, social support) and subjective well-being.
Inspired by Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, we created an immersive installation using sand and mirrors, symbolizing reality, reflection, and illusion. Through an interactive device powered by Arduino, viewers can experience projected happiness index data from different nations by engaging with mirrors, prompting them to reconsider the blurred line between Utopia and Dystopia.
This project is not only a visual exploration of happiness but also a philosophical reflection on freedom and choice—when happiness becomes the ultimate pursuit, do we still have true free will?