I contributed to the Horizon Workrooms team at Meta by designing immersive virtual workspaces. My work involved creating stunning skyboxes that transport users to breathtaking virtual environments, enhancing the overall work experience. I collaborated with engineers and product designers to optimize the functionality of interactive whiteboards and video chat screens, ensuring seamless communication and collaboration. Additionally, I worked closely with product designers to develop customizable digital workspaces, empowering users to tailor their virtual offices to their specific needs. Through collaboration with software engineers, I helped bring these innovative features to life.
To reskin the existing 3D environment, I treated the original as a foundational shell. I explored creative avenues to completely transform its appearance without exceeding real-time performance constraints on the headset. Extensive research and mood board creation helped visualize and communicate the desired aesthetic to the team. By developing several 2D concept prototypes and testing them directly in VR, I gathered valuable feedback from the Art team to refine the direction. Ultimately, I translated these concepts into a budget-conscious Unity implementation, resulting in the final reskin.
To bridge the gap between VR and non-VR participants in Horizon Workrooms, we designed a dynamic video chat screen as seen below. This feature was carefully crafted to be unobtrusive when idle, maintaining a minimal footprint within the virtual environment. However, upon the arrival of a new video chat participant, the screen springs to life, dynamically scaling to accommodate all users. This technical feat required close collaboration with engineers to ensure seamless integration and optimal performance, especially regarding the challenging task of dynamic scaling.
I collaborated with concept artist Manu to shape The Lobby, the first space users experience in Horizon Workrooms. Partnering with product designers, engineers, and art directors, I helped develop the look and feel of the environment, ensuring a seamless blend of function and aesthetics. Designed in Maya and brought to life in Unity, The Lobby serves as a welcoming hub where users can choose their meetings and begin their VR experience.
Redesigned Furniture for Other Spaces
As part of Horizon Workrooms’ customization features, I designed new tables and chairs tailored to fit evolving room aesthetics while maintaining high functionality. More than just furniture, the interactive tables are central to the user experience—designed with careful consideration of color, materials, and digital tactility to enhance immersion. The chairs were crafted to complement distinct environments: a relaxed, fun design for the beach setting and a sleek, contemporary look for the office. Balancing form and function, these pieces seamlessly integrate into the virtual workspace.
Designing the Skybox
I led the design of the Horizon Workrooms exterior, crafting a world beyond the walls where users could glance out the window and momentarily escape. From inception, I explored different settings from a university campus, cityscape, tranquil beach, before working with the team to establish a Pacific Northwest-inspired landscape with serene lakes. Early experiments with realism didn’t align with the room’s atmosphere, leading us to a more stylized aesthetic reminiscent of Zelda and Firewatch. Every angle was meticulously designed to ensure an engaging, immersive backdrop from any seat or window. While I had to move on to other features before finalizing the environment, the incredible Ocean Quigley brought it to completion, building upon the foundation I had developed.
