The Homes We Carry
This VR project delves into the notion of "home" as a temporary yet emotionally charged space for migrants in London. Inspired by my own experience of moving annually, I aim to create a VR environment that immerses users in the transient, layered experiences of migrant homes—spaces that embody both permanence and impermanence, connection and disconnection.
Drawing from The Poetics of Space (Bachelard, 1994), this project sees "home" not merely as a container for belongings, but as a vessel for identity, memory, and cultural expression. By layering personal artifacts, sounds, and stories from diverse migrant experiences, the VR space will allow users to experience how these temporary homes are filled with symbols of both old and new identities.
This virtual space functions as a digital third place. In the third place, individuals may be drawn together by their common interests, histories, and even by their differences, as they establish a social identity within a place that holds memories and meanings (Oldenburg, 1999, p. 42). It can be a social "middle ground", fostering a hybrid sense of belonging and home.