Gupshup - گپ شپ
Gupshup welcomes you to a VR Kashmiri drawing room, where five tea cups, each tied to a personal story, reveal the meaning of Gupshup amidst Islamic architecture and scenic countryside views.
Company:
Independent Study
Role:
Developer, 3D Modeling
Date:
Dec 2022
Exhibitions:
Bungalow Collective, Dec 2023
The Problem Space
Ongoing regional conflict in Kashmir exacerbates poverty and limits resources, leading to the rapid deterioration of historic mansions and the decline of traditional architectural design is a dying art.
This project creates a 3D VR environment to replicate these endangered structures, using research and current photos to highlight their cultural significance and advocate for the preservation of this vanishing art form.
Design Process
Understand → Research → Analyze → Design → User Testing → Presentation
Poverty and Resource Scarcity: Prolonged conflict has worsened poverty and stifled economic development, deprioritizing the restoration of traditional Kashmiri architecture and accelerating the decline of mansions and heritage buildings due to limited resources.
Loss of Traditional Craftsmanship: Kashmiri architecture, known for its intricate woodwork and blend of Islamic, Hindu, and Central Asian influences, is fading as skilled craftsmen vanish. With dwindling resources and demand, this craft is dying, eroding the authenticity and cultural significance of historic sites.nce of these historical sites.
(Cantilevered Balcony)
A place for moon sighting
Zoon in Kashmiri means Moon
Dub means Balcony
(Geometric Wooden Lattice Work)
Windows, balconies, partitions and ventilators
Pinjrakari is the art of creating intricate wooden screens based on Islamic geometry, featuring patterns of triangles for consciousness, squares for materiality, and hexagons for Heaven
(Wooden Pieces Fitted into One Another)
Ceilings
Interlocking geometric shapes, traced their origins to Persian art.
Made from walnut trees
Known for its “invisible journey” as there are no nails or glue.
Gupshup
This project creates a 3D VR environment to replicate endangered Kashmiri mansions, using research and photos to preserve their unique architectural heritage and raise awareness of the challenges they face to survive for the next generation.
Mood Board
Challenges vs Solutions
Originally designed for a SparkAR filter, the 4MB limitation compromised both quality and experience
Opted for VR experience for a fully immersive environment without compromising quality and creating a more detailed environment
Storytelling through UI Panels obstructed the 3D view
Pivoted to creating an interactive storyline that utilizes a narrated storyline to allow the user to feel involved within the room
Massive File Size
Compressed tile and carpet mesh into normal maps to reduce file size and increase VR performance/rendering quality
Aggressive Flickering and Motion Sickness
Baked Lighting, manipulating render passes
Reducing Mesh Size
Anti-Aliasing Effect URP/Post-Processing