TAO CAVE | IMMERSIVE LIGHTING
Type Immersive Lighting Team Zihao Zhang, Daoxin Chen, Yilun Zhan Time December 2024 - January 2025
TAO CAVE is an immersive lighting installation that bridges intangible cultural heritage and multisensory experience design, offering a contemporary interpretation of traditional Chinese heritage. Drawing inspiration from the Five Elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—central to Taoist thought and Chinese cultural heritage, the installation reimagines these ancient concepts through dynamic lighting, and immersive experience.
Housed within a tent-like structure that evokes both shelter and introspection, TAO CAVE invites visitors to engage with the elemental themes through projected lighting. Each elemental experience is designed to reflect the symbolic qualities of the Five Elements, translating heritage values into sensory expression.
The installation serves as a preservation of intangible heritage, offering a space for reflection and emotional connection. By embedding ancient wisdom into lighting design, TAO CAVE contributes to the evolving discourse of heritage interpretation, demonstrating how traditional knowledge systems can be preserved, reimagined, and made accessible through immersive experiences It offers a peaceful retreat from the intensity of urban life, inviting visitors to reconnect with cultural roots and personal well-being through a meditative, multisensory journey.
Video of the Installation and User Experience
STORYTELLING
Rooted in Taoist philosophy, the Five Elements—Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—form a foundational part of Chinese cultural heritage. Each element embodies a fundamental force in nature and reflects a unique set of qualities:
Metal embodies clarity, strength, and precision.
Wood signifies growth, renewal, and upward movement, associated with spring and vitality.
Water conveys fluidity, adaptability, and introspection.
Fire represents energy, transformation, and passion.
Earth stands for stability, nourishment, and balance.
Together, the Five Elements describe a dynamic system of balance and interdependence, central to traditional Chinese understandings of harmony between humans and nature.
To translate these intangible heritage concepts into an immersive, sensory experience, the installation uses the Five Elements as a framework for designing a healing and reflective lighting environment. Natural motifs associated with each element are expressed through projected light, forming a meditative landscape that invites visitors to retreat from the pressures of urban life. By engaging the senses, this multisensory journey transforms traditional Five Element philosophy into a contemporary space for reflection, emotional healing, and reconnection with nature and self.
The Scatch of the Design (Zihao Zhang)
The Scatch of the Design (Zihao Zhang)
LIGHTING DESIGN
The Lighitng Design (Yilun Zhan)
USER EXPERIENCE
Several people have experienced the installation, and we gathered feedback by asking questions such as whether they felt anything emotionally, which part was most impressive, and which aspects could be improved.
When participants lay in the tent, the lighting initially made them feel excited and gradually helped them calm down. Some described the experience as emotionally warming.
The most impressive aspect for many was the lighting that resembled natural elements, such as stars. Participants also provided valuable suggestions, noting that the lighting narrative and transitions could be improved, and the interaction between people and the lighting could be made more intuitive.
TAO CAVE 2.0 | IMMERSIVE LIGHTING
Type Immersive Lighting Team Zihao Zhang, Daoxin Chen, Yilun Zhan Time Feburary 2025 -March 2025
Building on the inspiration of the original installation, TAO CAVE 2.0 continues to explore the intersection of intangible cultural heritage and multisensory experience design through an immersive lighting environment. Rooted in the philosophy of the Five Elements—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—from traditional Chinese thought, the second iteration reinterprets these ancient concepts with new storytelling strategies and a more cohesive narrative structure, enhancing both cultural meaning and visitor engagement.
Informed by participant feedback from the first version, TAO CAVE 2.0 deepens its exploration of the Five Elements by drawing clearer connections between each element and its symbolic significance. These reinterpretations are woven into a unified storyline, offering a richer and more immersive journey through the philosophical essence of the Five Elements. Each elemental experience features synchronized lighting effects and ambient soundscapes, carefully designed to reflect the character of each element.
STORYTELLING
The journey begins in a space filled with soft green and amber light, evoking the freshness of spring and the growing energy of Wood. As visitors move to the next zone, the lighting shifts to flickering red and orange, expressing the passion and intensity of Fire, a moment of emotional release and transformation. In the Metal zone, the space glows with golden light, and the atmosphere becomes calm and focused. Sharp, minimal sounds enhance the sense of clarity and strength. The journey ends in the Water zone, where deep blue lights ripple gently, moving downward like rain or flowing rivers. Soft ambient sounds create a peaceful setting. Water symbolizes stillness, renewal, and a return to inner calm.
LIGHTING DESIGN
The lighting designer reimagined the visual expression of the Five Elements, refining the color palettes, spatial composition, and the rhythmic movement of the light to better embody the essence of each element. The lighting design incorporates a heightened sense of the rhythm and texture of light—creating a more immersive and emotionally resonant experience. Each element’s lighting is carefully choreographed to reflect its unique energy: for example, Wood may feature flowing green tones with upward movement, while Fire bursts in warm, flickering pulses.
The Metal Lighting (Yilun Zhan)
The Wood Lighting (Yilun Zhan)
The Water Lighting (Yilun Zhan)
The Fire Lighting (Yilun Zhan)
USER EXPERIENCE
The user experience has also been improved. The posture has been changed from lying down to sitting, making it more convenient to interact with the lighting. Additionally, the interaction method has been updated to a hand-waving gesture, allowing users to change the lighting effects accordingly. The original use of a tent is retained to preserve the dark, private space, enhancing the lighting effects and ensuring a comfortable sitting environment.
RELATED ACHIEVEMENT
[1] MIT Reality Hack Art Grant, January 2025.
[2] Harvard XR 2025 Augmented Self Creative Tarck Nomination, April 2025
CONTRIBUTION
Zihao Zhang: Historic Research, Storytelling, Physical Fabrication, Video Editing
Daoxin Chen: Ideation, Storytelling, Experience Design
Yilun Zhan: Ideation, Lighting Design
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