Rebuild Ukraine | VR App Development & Design

Immersive Archiving of Ukraine’s Heritage Through VR Reconstruction

Project OverviewRebuild Ukraine is a VR puzzle game where players reconstruct Ukrainian cultural heritage sites destroyed by war, while uncovering the stories and identities behind them.

I designed and developed the experience as a sole contributor using ShapesXR, Blender, and Figma to craft immersive storytelling, spatial UI, and 3D interactions.

Role
UX/UI Design, VR Development

RecognitionXR Guild Speaker

Duration
8 weeks

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

Outcome
Rebuild Ukraine turns 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 puzzle that has been either destroyed or at risk of destruction based on its difficulty.

Puzzle Building

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

Final Reveal

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

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?”

I explored reports from UNESCO, media coverage, and digital documentation efforts to understand the scale and emotional weight of this loss.

Competitive Analysis

Redefining immersion in cultural storytelling

To better position Rebuild Ukraine in the landscape of puzzle-based heritage experiences, I analyzed four key competitors across physical and digital platforms: United 24 x LEGO creators, Puzzle Places’ Ukrainian Heritage Pack, Ukrainian-themed physical puzzle, and digital puzzle game.

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

✅ focus on tangible, physical engagement and brand-driven awareness
✅ promotes donation and advocacy
❌ no immersive or digital storytelling
❌ lacks interactivity beyond assembly

✅ provides basic visual education
❌ no interactivity or storytelling layer
❌ disconnection from cultural memory

✅ high-fidelity 3D puzzles of real Ukrainian landmarks
✅ relaxing spatial gameplay experience
❌ Absent narrative - minimal context and emotional framing

✅ provide flat puzzle experience
❌ lacks interactive depth or educational elements
❌ no tactile feeling leads to limited emotional engagement

Problem Identification

Spotting experience gaps to shape a new direction

From extensive competitive research despite the platform, I have identified common problems among competitors that can be reframed as 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.

Wireframes

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 usability testing uncovered gaps in clarity and scale

I conducted usability testing with 3 peers, who are familiar with 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 weren’t sure 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 XR space

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

❌ ShapesXR: Smaller puzzle pieces for seated experience

✅ Unity: Bigger puzzle pieces for better reachability

❌ ShapesXR: Story mode with text due to limited feature

✅ Unity: Story mode with video for 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. By guiding users to reconstruct real heritage landmarks destroyed in war, the experience weaves puzzle-solving with storytelling. As players connect physical fragments, they also reconnect with history—uncovering narratives, textures, and emotions that standard archives often miss.

Built in Unity, the final prototype includes spatial UI, ambient audio, and real-time feedback designed to create a respectful yet engaging environment for learning, empathy, and cultural memory.

Outcome & Impact

Where It Landed

I got selected as a featured speaker for XR Guild New York Chapter, one of the most renowned XR community 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.

Woohee Byun

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