ELVTR

The Upper Left Playground

How to rethink mental wellbeing with VR to help stressed-out workers escape to a rejuvenating island inspired by the Pacific Northwest.

Tools & Resources: Unity, Figma, Unity Asset Store, Kenney, Artlist, ChatGPT, Meta Quest 3S

THE BRIEF

The challenge was to design and prototype a collaboration space for mental wellbeing and bring this to life as a proof of concept for an immersive VR World.

There’s a lot of discussion about mental wellbeing in relation to office work. Research revealed that 776,000 UK workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety. I sought to provide stressed-out office workers with a simple escape that would empower them to feel in control of their mental health.

THE SOLUTION

I believe combining physical activity with an escape from surroundings is key to managing mental health. My own experience of living and working in Portland, Oregon showed me that hiking outdoors had a therapeutic effect. This was something I wanted to explore but with some playful and whimsical elements.

The result was a relaxing retreat that had plenty of interactive elements to ensure users switched off by being active.

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

I wanted users to improve their mental wellbeing by playing and having fun. So I put on my Quest 3S and went exploring to determine what makes a world joyful.

My favourite worlds featured separate activities that required users to navigate between them. Height made the worlds feel bigger and immersive. Interactive elements, like cooking in Tasty, increased dwell time.

This research reminded me of the iconic Ewok Village. I envisioned users walking along boardwalks high through the trees. But I didn’t want to make a forest carbon copy: the Pacific Northwest is a slightly whimsical place and so pop culture references like Twin Peaks and an ambient album by The Orb were also influences.

After ideation and sketching, I settled upon a forest playground with a raised, undulating path, which users could follow but were free to wander off the beaten track.

Called The Upper Left Playground, it is a deliberately flexible space that lets users unwind by either Playing or Relaxing.

Play interactions are movement-based, such as throwing, dancing, and climbing, while Relaxing interactions are calm and quiet moments, designed to let users pause and reflect.

ART DIRECTION

The aesthetic combines a homage to nature with clean, geometric structures using poly shapes from asset kits. This ensures consistency and versatility, allowing elements like rocks to be used as small stones or soaring mountains.

The colour palette blends earthy tones with magical blues and pinks, inspired by dusky sunsets. To maintain cohesion and avoid a photorealistic look, all textures and materials are carefully selected to complement the overall design.

LIGHT & SOUND

This experience takes place at sunset, which casts dramatic shadows and bathes the landscape in dusky pinks and purples. Mountains cast shadows, creating a mysterious contrast.

Sound creates distinct atmospheres for each area, aligning with users' actions to help them feel present. Wave sound effects set the location on the island shores. Warm synths guide users through the forest while a live version of Rez by Underworld energises the desert rave. Linear runoff ensures smooth, seamless transitions as users move throughout the space.

A sunset skybox bathes the mountains in pinks and purples.

Colourful point lighting guides users through the forest.

Directional lighting at sunset casts dramatic shadows in dusky colours.

Two users can play an elevated game of skittles in the forest.

Users scale the climbing wall to reach the highest point on the island...

...where a pizza and a stunning view awaits them.

UX FLOW

Users begin the experience on the outskirts of the Upper Left Playground, close to the sea. This deliberately limits where they can go, so they are guided up a ramp and along a boardwalk into the forest.

Immediately they have the option to pick up some balls and play a game. All this happens relatively quickly to introduce users into the experience: follow the path, play and feel relaxed.

This UX Flow outlines a user journey however while the experience is linear to a degree, users are free to complete the activities in any order they choose - whatever it takes for them to switch off and unwind.

THE PROTOTYPE

Feeling stressed? Than switch off and explore the Upper Left Playground as seen on the Meta Quest 3S.

Follow the elevated chrome boardwalk, choose to stay on the path or wander off to discover what’s out there. All activities are designed for at least two users to collaborate at once.

It’s a peaceful destination intended to stimulate and sooth. Check out the GIFs or sample the whole experience on YouTube (link below).

...and enjoy a pizza and a view at the top

CREDITS

EDUCATOR

ELVTR
2025

ROLE

Strategist
Creative
Unity Designer
Coder

FIST BUMPS

Martyn Gooding
Alex Hogan

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