Rebuild Ukraine

Rebuild Ukraine is an immersive VR puzzle game that reconstructs Ukrainian cultural heritage sites destroyed during the war. Designed to raise awareness through interaction, the project combines real-time socket mechanics, spatial storytelling, and voice narration to guide users through rebuilding monuments piece by piece, transforming abstract headlines into tactile, human-centered learning experiences.

Timeline –
02.2025-04.2025

Role – UX/UI Designer
Unity Developer

Team –
Solo Project

Problem –
Given a brief to design a 3D puzzle game, I noticed that many VR puzzle games lack emotional depth or cultural relevance.

Outcome – Rebuild Ukraine turns a 3D puzzle assembly into a powerful act of cultural preservation, letting users rebuild war-damaged landmarks while learning their stories.

Final Design –

Puzzle Selection Menu

Select a puzzle that has been either destroyed or is at risk of destruction based on its difficulty.

Puzzle Building

Build the puzzle in a relaxing and calm environment. Get help from tutorials, auditory cues, and a progress tracker.

When the user completes the puzzle, a real-life scale statue comes up and shares the story of how it’s at risk or destroyed.

Final Reveal

Ta-da! When the user completes the puzzle, a real-life scale statue appears and shares the story of how it’s at risk of being destroyed.

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty!

Cultural Research –

A cultural crisis beyond ruins

The war in Ukraine has resulted in widespread destruction of cultural heritage—cathedrals, monuments, and public landmarks that once served as physical expressions of national identity. As I began this project, I was driven by the question: “How might we use immersive technology to preserve not just structures, but the stories and memories tied to them?”

Competitive Analysis –

Redefining immersion in cultural storytelling

Each product highlights a different strength—visual storytelling, physical engagement, or immersive environments—but none fully integrates interaction, immersion, and emotional narrative the way Rebuild Ukraine aims to.

Problem Identification –

Spotting experience gaps to shape a new direction

From extensive competitive research across the platform, I have identified common problems among competitors that can be reframed as an opportunity for this project.

Opportunity –

Building on open-source archives for collective preservation

Platforms like War Up Close and Polycam empower everyday users and artists to contribute 3D scans of at-risk architecture, creating rich digital archives. These open-source resources provide a growing foundation for expanding the library.

Ideation –

Sketching the spatial journey in VR

To kick off the project, I began by sketching out the initial user flow and rough layouts of the spatial environment using a VR design tool. This helped me visualize how users would navigate the experience—from selecting a puzzle to interacting with pieces and triggering narrative moments. Early ideation focused on balancing intuitive interaction with a thoughtful emotional journey, ensuring that each step felt purposeful within the immersive context.

Prototyping –

Building and Iterating in ShapesXR

I used ShapesXR, a VR prototyping tool, to sketch out the spatial interactions and overall scene structure. UI elements such as panels and buttons were designed in Figma, then imported into ShapesXR to visualize them in a true 3D context.

Throughout prototyping, I tested the user flow, as well as the placement, scale, and accessibility of interactive objects. I also explored audio and visual feedback across different scenes to ensure a seamless and intuitive experience in VR.

Usability Testing –

Early testing uncovered gaps in clarity and scale

I conducted usability testing with 3 peers, who are familiar with the VR setting.

Key feedback includes:

Participants commented that some puzzle pieces looked too small and might be hard to assemble.
They hesitated at the beginning, unsure what to do in each scene.
Participants were unsure whether they were solving a puzzle or simply viewing information.

Iteration –

Pivoting platforms to Unity to unlock greater interaction control

User testing revealed several limitations in ShapesXR’s interaction capabilities—including limited responsiveness in object manipulation, restricted customization of snap logic, and difficulty fine-tuning visual/audio feedback. Based on this feedback, I shifted the main development platform to Unity, which allowed for greater control over behavior, scale, and scene flow.

❌ ShapesXR: Flat UI Panel that is unaligned with the XR space

✅ Unity: Refined UI panel with 3d models for a holistic experience

❌ ShapesXR: Smaller puzzle pieces for seated experience

✅ Unity: Bigger puzzle pieces for better reachability

❌ ShapesXR: Story mode with text due to limited features

✅ Unity: Story mode with video for an accessible viewing experience

Solution –

A puzzle experience that preserves culture, piece by piece

Rebuild Ukraine transforms cultural loss into a tactile, immersive act of remembrance. As players connect physical fragments, they also reconnect with history—uncovering narratives, textures, and emotions that standard archives often miss.

Outcome & Impact –

Where It Landed

I got selected as a featured speaker for XR Guild New York Chapter, one of the most renowned XR communities in the U.S. I shared my insights and demoed the project with event attendees from various industries.

Reflections –

What did I learn from this project?

Designing for Spatial Context

This project taught me how to adapt traditional UX/UI principles to immersive environments—learning how to scale, position, and structure spatial interfaces that feel intuitive in 3D space.

From Interaction to Impact

Through iteration and real user feedback, I explored how sound, visuals, and onboarding flow can guide users meaningfully—shaping an experience that’s both emotionally resonant and accessible.

©Woohee2025

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