HOURGLASS
project
SPECULATIVE DESIGN EXPLORING
THE ISSUE OF
SELF COMMODIFICATION
HOURGLASS
project
SPECULATIVE DESIGN EXPLORING
THE ISSUE OF
SELF COMMODIFICATION
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about
Hourglass confronts the rise of
self-commodification, which is the treatment of personal traits as products or commodities.
Through speculative design, it envisions a near-future where this is taken to the extereme, and intangible assets are traded, challenging ideas of identity, ethics, and human value.
the problem
Self-commodification is on the rise, fueled by social media and platform economies, turning people into brands and content into products.
A speculative, interactive digital platform where people can trade time and youth, mirroring stock market behavior.
the idea
A futuristic wearable devices to embody and physicalize these transactions, making the experience tangible and unsettling.
By exaggerating current trends, the project invites audiences to question the trajectory of personal identity and commodification in digital spaces.
Play the interactive prototype
HOURGLASS
project
Hourglass isn’t about predicting the future — it’s a warning against letting market logic define our lives. It asks: Should we price our humanity? And ultimately: What is our true worth?
Would you trade your lifetime for money if you could?
How do you define your worth?
PROJECT BY ZACHARY ZHAO
UAL BA UXD
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