Client: Japanese American Citizens League

Role: Audio Director and Designer

Contribution:Collaborated with the technical director to develop and implement best practices for localized audio zones, creating a deeply immersive and emotionally resonant experience at the site of the first Japanese American internment camp. I led the creative vision and technical execution, designing a realistic sonic environment that authentically recreated the harsh conditions of the internment camp during WWII. This included the meticulous design of both exterior and interior soundscapes, featuring elements like weather transitions, the passage of horses, and the cries of infants. To further evoke the emotional gravity of the experience, I composed a subtle yet powerful musical bed using traditional Japanese instruments—such as the shakuhachi flute, taiko, gong, and temple bells—which were then synthesized and modulated to induce a profound sense of discomfort and unease.

Awards: Communication Arts Award of Excellence, Design Annual, 2025

Press:
Seattle Times “New WA State Fair memorial honors Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII,” 2024
NPR “‘They aren’t forgotten.’ New memorial honors Japanese Americans incarcerated at Washington State Fairgrounds,” 2024
International Examiner “After a 7-year effort, gallery commemorates Japanese American incarceration on the site of the Washington State Fairgrounds down in Puyallup,” 2024

Collaborators: Belle and Wissell