TOOLS
Figma, React, Typescript, Zustand
ROLE
Designer, Developer
YEAR
2024~
About
Starting with the question, 'How many of your thousands of photos do you actually see?', Cloud Duster is a participatory web exhibition reimagining digital decluttering as a meaningful and creative journey, rather than an overwhelming chore.
From Personal Clutter to Planetary Crisis
While our digital memories feel weightless, they reside in energy-hungry data centers with a heavy, hidden cost to the planet. By 2026, their power consumption is projected to equal that of an entire nation like Japan. Every forgotten photo directly contributes to this issue, turning our personal digital clutter into a collective environmental crisis.
From Insight to Action: Cloud Duster Workshops
We facilitated workshops where participants collectively deleted over 10GB of data after learning about the hidden costs of cloud storage. The core of the experience was a powerful ritual where each person shared the personal story behind one photo they chose to delete.
Uncovering the True Barriers to Deletion
The true barrier to decluttering wasn't logic but a deep emotional conflict: the fear of losing memories and feeling overwhelmed by the process. This core insight proved our solution must address these feelings directly, rather than just being a functional tool.
Farewell: A Digital Funeral
This is where users begin their journey of letting go. After selecting a digital photo to delete, they upload it one last time to share its story with the community, reframing deletion as a meaningful farewell ritual. This act of sharing provides a sense of closure, and the data is permanently deleted after being exhibited for three days, just like a funeral ceremony.
Memories: A Gallery of Goodbyes
Summary: Our Collective Impact
The tangible, real-world impact of our collective actions. It translates the total gigabytes of deleted data into easily understandable metrics, such as CO₂ reduction or the equivalent of kilometers not driven by a car. By showing the concrete environmental benefits, it empowers users and reinforces the positive outcome of their participation.
Digital Goodbyes Became a Shared Experience
To culminate our project, we brought the "Cloud Duster" into a physical exhibition, transforming our digital concept into a tangible, real-world experience. The space featured live projections of shared memories and an interactive booth, sparking conversations about the hidden weight of our digital lives.
