Project title:
Final Synthesis Studio project (Politecnico di Milano) from September 2020 to January 2021
My role:
Creative direction, Speculation, 2D Animation, Character design and animation
Team: Amirmohammad Azizi, Ettore Mordenti, Xingyu Quan, Jiaqi Le, Wen Luo, Xiaoyong Liu
Overview:
In this project, we used different techniques and methods to develop an alternative future to what was presented in an episode of the black mirror series “Be right back”. We structured our proposal based on a utopian and optimistic version of the year 2050 and we tried to represent our idea of the world in that time through the story of our main character Anna. The result of our work was presented as a lecture including, 2D animation, 3D animation, Instagram profile, Character animation, and a Deep Fake video which were aimed to work coherently to convey the different aspects of our speculative service.
Starting from the “Be right back”episode of Black Mirror, which explores the unintended consequences of technological innovation, we reflect upon the relationship between technology and society.
WHAT IF people had a microchip embedded in their necks that recorded their lives and allowed them to replay memories at will?
WHAT IF there was a software program that enabled a bereaved person to communicate with a lost loved by creating an avatar using the digital footprint?
Conceptual Premise:
What happens when we flip dystopia into hope?
We asked:
What would a positive, empowering alternative to digital resurrection look like in the year 2050?
This marked the start of our speculative exploration from Black Mirror to Light Mirror.
From Black mirror to light mirror:
Instead of avoiding grief or creating false realities, we proposed a system that celebrates real experiences and encourages learning from the past. This became Babele: a human library where lived experience, not just data, becomes a learning interface.
Narrative:
In the future world of 2050, Babele is a library without books, where users borrow human experiences instead of texts. Learning happens through conversations with Nuntius, realistic avatars based on historical or influential figures, or with volunteers who share their life stories. These interactions turn knowledge into a personal, emotional exchange.
As users grow through these dialogues, Babele tracks their development and suggests new experiences, skills, or future directions. It transforms the library into a space for reflection, connection, and self-discovery.
Design Translation:
We translated this reframing into interactive speculative elements:
The Nuntius – humanoid avatars built from real lives, not idealized perfection
The Library Without Books – a social infrastructure of knowledge sharing
Self-Actualization Engine – a feedback system that monitors personal growth to suggest life paths, not products
Narrative Anchoring:
We created Anna’s story to humanize the system. Her journey with her grandmother and the Nuntius highlights intergenerational knowledge, agency, and emotional development, elements Be Right Back lacked.
Visual & Experiential Design:
2D and 3D Animation to visualize emotional and technological interactions
Iconographic Research to build a cohesive futuristic aesthetic
Instagram Interface Prototypes to simulate cultural adoption
Deepfake & AI tools used critically, not passively, integrated as ethical storytelling mechanisms
Outcome:
Babele is not a product pitch—it's a critical artifact. It demonstrates how speculative design can shift conversations from fear to possibility, from control to empowerment. Read the full project here:
