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Hello, Milena here :) 

I am a graphic and game designer currently writing my master thesis in the field of circular innovation and sustainability. 

Key topics that have followed me throughout my projects are: life-death, analogue-digital, sustainability, animals, scientific communication, empathy, and future visions of our society and our planet.

How do we live as part of a larger ecosystem,

without crossing over our planetary boundaries?

How can we collaborate and innovate to create a better future together?

Decompose

"Play the life cycle of a blowfly that is decomposing a human corpse." 

Decompose is an experimental game. I embroidered all assets by hand. Humans are part of nature too. Once we die, new life emerges.


At the end of the game, the whole scenery will have changed to an overgrown patch of earth. Only skeletal remains will be left, the corpse will have been replaced with colourful plants and mushrooms.

I developed this game in Unity for my BA Thesis

Music by Mirjam Skal & Jonas Roulet

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Ink Illustrations

"Everything Matters"

The world fascinates me and I enjoy sketching and drawing, from observation or imagination. Ink and digital illustration are currently my favourite mediums.

I post illustrations on Instagram.

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Fairies in your garden

"Animal Friendship and Pixie Dust"

 

Could drawings of fairies act as a means to feel empathy towards other kinds of animals? In my mind, fairies live in symbiosis with their environment and help their fellow beings. They have human features and so are easier to relate to for us than other animals. They might provide a gateway to create empathy through storytelling. I post an animal reel every week on Instagram with some fun facts.

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Salat Gehirne Podcast

"Where we view sustainability through a looking glass."

 

With my friend Antonia, we host a podcast in german all about us learning more about the topic of sustainability. It gives us the opportunity to dive deeper into topics that interest us and we mention different things from Dystopian Fiction to Economics.

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Awa's Journey

"Can she save her home?"

 

Awa wakes up one day to find the tree she lives on is shaking. She goes on a journey to find the cause of this disturbances.

Awa's Journey is a Single Player Thirdperson Puzzle Adventure Game. 

I drew the backgrounds for all 3 Levels, painted and animated the insects and the plants that make the world feel alive and made the cutscene drawings.

You can download it on itch.io.

Made during my studies at Zürich Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK) with Kathleen Bohner, Ryan Brand & Dominic Hartmann (2021)

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Wonderland

"Try to find your way back home as fast as you can."

 

In Racing through Wonderland you play as Alice.
​Experience this strange and wonderful place on your journey. This game can be played by 2 - 4 Players.

Made during my studies at Zürich Hochschule der Künste, ZHdK (2020)

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Island in the South

"Once you have discovered something you can’t go back."

 

Island in the South is a ‘Choose your own Adventure Book’ with the addition of cards.


Discover the Island through the perspective of four scientists in two time periods; before and after the Island has been discovered for the first time.
Collect cards of places and things you see on your journey. After the Island has been discovered half of the cards/possibilities fall away. You are left with the consequences you can see during your second playthrough.


The game questions the consequences of human curiosity and the exploitation of our environment.

 

Made during my studies at Zürich Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK) (2020)

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God Game Island

"Above the island, something is waiting."

 

What would happen if we took the role of the creator on our planet? But, oh wait, we already have... humans have been taking up the role of the creator for a long time.

Far out in the Siberian sea, there is an island that isn‘t show
n on any map. Clouds are circling the mountain- and treetops. The animals flee to their hiding places. The islander stands on the icy beach and looks up into the sky. Two enormous hands shoot out from the clouds. The game has begun.


Made during my studies at Schule für Gestaltung B:B (2019)

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Beyond our Woods

"A young witch leaves what she knows behind to study magic."


We had 10 weeks to write and draw, developing our own style. I wrote a short story and designed a book containing my story and 30 illustrations I scratched into oil pastels. 

Made during my studies at Schule für Gestaltung B:B (2018)

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