Joanna Chin

Socially-conscious interaction designer with a passion for creating playful, thought-provoking, user-centered experiences at the intersection of the physical and digital world.

 

Post from the Past

Post from the Past is a mysterious monthly subscription service in which you receive packages from people in the past. Hear their voices & stories through an immersive physical & digital journey.

A box arrives. And when you open it a voice emanates out:

Mon chéri,

I hear the guards pass by, so I must be brief.

I am to be executed today. France’s President denied my plea for clemency, and I will shortly face the firing squad. My dear Edouard has given his word to deliver you a few precious and significant items. I hope they will help you to remember who I truly was and to answer: am I guilty of all that they say?

Contained within is a pearl necklace, some old photographs, a small glass bottle, a sachet of some herb, and a letter addressed to you. What do they mean…and who sent them?

Posts from the Past is a subscription service in which you receive mysterious packages from people in the past. Hear their voices and solve their stories through an immersive physical and digital journey. After exploring beautifully crafted artifacts, explore the parallel online experience: answer questions about the items, hear the voices of other characters in the story, watch video about WWI spies, or uncover documents about invisible ink kept secret for decades.

This project begs the question of whether real-life, evocative, touchable objects and minimalist technology can create enough suspense, engagement, and emotional connection to a person from the past such that learning history can feel exciting and relevant to this and future generations.

The first 100 boxes will ship this fall. Sign up to be a beta tester at:
www.postfromthepast.net