Nowhere to Belong

An immersive documentary, where you sit with Elizaveta and trigger memories through objects. Captured with splats and volumetric video, experience her journey from Odessa to Berlin.

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Inspiration

The piece is inspired by the need for intimate, human-centered storytelling in VR experiences where technology steps back and a real person steps forward. We wanted to explore how small, simple objects can become emotional anchors, creating impact without menus, UI, or complex mechanics.

What it does

It lets users choose what part of Elizaveta’s story they hear her family background, her border-crossing journey, her photography, or her experience settling in Berlin through tactile choices that turn everyday objects into gateways for memory. It creates a direct, personal encounter that feels more like a quiet conversation than a game.

How we built it

The volumetric performance was recorded with Azure Kinect cameras and processed using ITHACA. The VR environment and interaction logic were built in Unity using C#, with Meta Quest 3 and Meta XR Simulator for testing. We used Blender for mesh cleanup and environment modeling, Premiere Pro and After Effects for video refinement, Figma for layout and interaction planning, and Scaniverse for photogrammetry. Collaboration and versioning were managed through Git, Google Drive, and Discord.

Challenges we ran into

We worked through the challenge of optimizing heavy volumetric video and photogrammetry meshes for Quest 3, requiring careful cleanup in Blender to keep the experience lightweight without losing presence. Also synchronizing spatial audio with volumetric playback - Aligning Elizaveta's voice with her 3D capture was a little bit tricky.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We created a lightweight but emotionally meaningful VR experience that runs smoothly on Quest 3 while supporting volumetric media. We achieved intuitive, menu-free interaction using only natural hand gestures. And we successfully blended documentary storytelling with interactive spatial design in under two minutes showing how small objects and small moments can open unexpectedly human stories.

What we learned

Less interaction can mean more presence. We learned that stripping away menus, gamification, and complex mechanics didn't weaken the experience it made room for something harder to design: genuine attention to another person's story.

What's next for Nowhere to Belong

Publishing on Apple Vision Pro

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