Shibuya in VR
Immersive Point Cloud Adventure

When we open our eyes and take in the world around us, imagine everything dissolving into the smallest particles, each one floating and interacting within the vast fabric of the universe.

Inspired by the idea that everything in the physical world—from people to architecture—is composed of atoms dancing in cosmic waves during every interaction, this project reimagines Shibuya, the bustling heart of Tokyo, as a universe of illuminated particles. By abstracting Shibuya’s familiar urban landscape into point cloud data, I sought to present my imagination of this atomic dance and immerse participants in it.

The 3D model is transformed into point cloud data using MeshLab, then brought into Unity for further development. To enhance the user experience, I designed a user interface (UI) for exploring the visual possibilities, featuring three pre-selected hero views of the scene. Four distinct point movements, driven by sine and cosine functions, introduce dynamic interactivity. A customizable color palette further invites users to explore and experiment with a variety of visual possibilities.

Two shaders define the visual experience: one creates an illuminated, dreamlike aesthetic, while the other with a more realistic sense and allows users to adjust point sizes.