why does my body keep rooting?

Project Description

Why Does My Body Keep Rooting? is a multi-user XR experience where participants inhabit hybrid, posthuman avatars whose bodies react directly to their movements. When a player remains still, their avatar begins to grow roots, becoming part of a shared network that links all users but restricts mobility and alters the surrounding environment. By moving again, players break their own roots, regaining freedom of exploration while experiencing fragmentation and a temporary loss of connection.

The piece explores the tension between belonging and autonomy through embodied interaction. Drawing from posthuman ecology and affect theory, the experience proposes the body as an unstable assemblage shaped by movement, environment, and others. Through shifting perspectives, responsive ecosystems, and the inner reflections of the main character, participants navigate themes of community, migration, interdependence, and the emotional cost of staying or leaving.

This project was developed with Simone García during IMMENSIVA XR Residency at Espronceda Institute of Arts & Culture, Barcelona. Together with Simone we developed the concept (based on her original idea), mechanics and aesthetic framework. My role included XR design, system design for the rooting and fragmentation behaviors, creative technology and integrating narrative elements with interaction and environmental feedback.

Project Info

• Role:Creative Technologist, Creative Direction.
• Technologies: Unity, Meta XR SDK, Photon Fusion
• Date: 2025

Credits

• Co-creation Natalia Cabrera and Simone García
• Music: Nancy El Azzi
• Technical Advisors: Kris Pilcher, Mohsen Hazrati, Josecarlos Florez
• With the Support of IMMENSIVA XR Residency and Espronceda Institute of Arts & Culture