Safe Space
Where It All Started
Snap Lens Academy was a 9-week career development in AR design hosted by Snap Inc. and Next Shift Learning. During the 9-weeks, my cohort and I learned to create AR experiences utilizing tools such as Lens Studio, Javascript, Blender, Photoshop, and After Effects. We all developed skills in 2D, 3D, and coding to eventually collaborate in a team of two to three scholars to develop a final showcase project that involves socially conscious themes. My partner and I had the topic of Mental Health for Youth and created an AR experience called Safe Space.
Augmented Reality (AR) Lens
Safe Space is an immersive AR experience that allows you to connect with your friends through positive expressions, uplifting affirmations, and engaging interactivity, all within the comfort of your own home. This new type of lens was designed specifically to help combat the negative effects of social isolation and depression that have been caused by the pandemic. That's why we created Safe Space, to provide a new way for people to connect and support each other, no matter where they are.
According to recent studies, 1 in 6 youths have suffered from at least one major depressive episode in the past year alone. We conducted extensive research and targeted youth ages 13-21 who have been isolated in their homes away from human connections, support systems, and outdoor activities due to the pandemic. We found that games promoting human connections and creativity, like Animal Crossing by Nintendo, are some of the biggest coping mechanisms due to their social life simulation. With this in mind, we created an immersive experience that shares similar qualities with Animal Crossing, but with a unique twist that's exclusive to Snapchat.
When you use Safe Space, your display name, Bitmoji, and camera data may be shared with others who have been invited to the same lens, so you can chat, play, and interact in real-time, regardless of your physical location.
To see more lenses, access my lens creator profile here.
Team: Christian Enriquez
My Roles: Environment Artist (3D assets)
Timeline: 3 weeks
Tools: Lens Studio, Snapchat, Blender, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe After Effects, and JavaScript
Note: We are not trained health experts. If you are dealing with depression or any sort of mental health issues, please text 988 to contact 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or call 1-800-273-TALK.
Process, Research, & Demonstration on Snapchat
The video shares our process and research behind Safe Space. This video provides an in-depth look at how we designed and developed this new type of lens, as well as the research we conducted to ensure it would be effective in combating the negative effects of social isolation and depression.
Snapcode
To access this lens:
Download Snapchat:
Create an account with Snapchat.
If you already have an account, please sign in to your account.
When you launch the app, you will notice your front camera on. Double tap anywhere on the screen or tap the icon in the top right corner to flip to the back camera.
On the left, there is a snap code to scan. Point your back camera to the screen where the code is. Then, tap and hold to let Snapchat scan the code.
Wait a few seconds. The lens should automatically show up.
Enjoy your safe space!
Notice: If you receive a glitch in the lens or something is not responding correctly, please shut down Snapchat completely and access the lens again. Due to how new the connected feature is, there will be some technical bugs within the lens.