For my memory space, I created an interactive documentary about my family’s immigrant journey from Jamaica to Canada and our first experience dining in Toronto’s original Chinatown.
I experimented using photogrammetry to capture the original location of Sai Woo Restaurant back in 1974, which is today a yoga studio. I also used this technique to document the candies I first enjoyed in the restaurant. The backdrop is a 360-degree image taken at the address of Sai Woo Restaurant using Google Earth. Two-dimensional personal objects from the trip and a restaurant menu are displayed amid the 3D images.
The first-person narration is told from my recollection as a young girl travelling with my family. I used sound effects to make the experience more immersive. Overall, I wanted the user to get a sense of the time period 1974. However, the modern buildings belie the passage of time and shows how long ago the journey took place. I also highlight the Chinese cultural differences my family experienced moving from Jamaica to Canada.