INDEX -> P001 -> The Carbon Box2024 - 2025
Design Project & Research Thesis
Visualising Knowledge Conference
Aalto University
[FI]
2024-2025
with data from
The carbon box is a dual project which was -1- initially developed as a course project during the minor program, Information Design, and -2- followed up as an exploratory research tool for a Masters thesis.
Project overview
First prototype of the Carbon Box exhibited at the Visualising Knowledge Conference (2023)
- How can environmental data be represented into physical tokens?
- How can tangible interaction enrich the comprehension and experience of the data?
The objective was to design a tool that encodes international carbon emissions data (historical, predictive, and target-oriented) using physical artefacts. The resulting artefact [Carbon Box] invites users to explore emission trends by physically manipulating wooden elements that represent different countries’ emissions over time, comparing them with Paris Agreement targets via an intuitive, game-like interaction system.
Research overview
Recorded sessions of participants exploring the Carbon Box
“Physicalising data has strong potential to increase emotional engagement, accesibility and memorability of data” - Jansen, 2015 .
The research thesis explores how potential opportunities to amplplify the experience of data can be used in a context of climate science where engagement seems to be at a standstill, information is deemed too complex and emotional responses tend to be daunting. To answer this question, 24 participants were invited to interact and make sense of the Carbon Box.
The following section is still under construction while the thesis remains unpublished
Project
Research
These recordings were then analysed through and allowed for findings:
- Participants demonstrated active sensemaking, contextualised the data using their own knowledge, and often reflected on global carbon inequalities and policy shortcomings.
- The physical format prompted a range of emotional responses—confusion, surprise, frustration, and empathy—indicating a deeper personal connection to the information.
- While the approach fostered accessibility and reflection, it also introduced risks of misinterpretation due to unfamiliar forms and limited standardisation in physical data design.