A Universe in a Box

“A Universe in a Box” is an imaginative activity where participants create a personal, symbolic box that blends visual poetry, hands-on art-making, and creative coding. A smartphone or tablet is embedded inside the custom-designed box, programmed with interactive elements using Scratch or OctoStudio. Each participant builds a unique box that reflects their inner world, memories, and imagination.

Example: Boxes created by pre-service teachers (watch the video).

The box is more than just a container —it is a metaphor for how we hold, structure, and transform our inner universe. It represents the boundary between inside and outside, reality and imagination, offering both structure and infinite possibilities for storytelling. When a box is opened, it is always an act of revelation —unveiling a story, a memory, or a secret, much like the unfolding of a narrative itself.

By combining traditional artistic materials with digital tools such as Scratch and OctoStudio, participants breathe life into their creations, making them move, respond, and evolve through code. Their boxes might take the form of a 'Box for Conversations I Never Had with My Grandmother', a 'Box for When I Feel Afraid', or a 'Box for Whispering to the Stars', each reflecting a deeply personal exploration of memories, desires, or abstract concepts.

Example: The Sky Beneath the Stone (watch the video).

Example: A box for returning to India (watch the video).

Objectives of the Workshop

• Explore the poetic and symbolic power of the box as a storytelling medium, understanding how a simple container can encapsulate complex ideas, emotions, and personal narratives, offering endless creative possibilities.

• Learn techniques of visual poetry, narrative construction, and digital interactivity, discovering how to blend words, images, and movement to craft compelling, multi-layered stories that resonate deeply.

• Learn how to use creative coding as a form of self-expression, developing both technical and critical thinking skills to convey emotions, stories, and reflections through digital interactivity.

• Cultivate an awareness of beauty, training our sensitivity to aesthetics and the emotional impact of artistic composition in both physical and digital mediums.

• Develop a conscious approach to technology, using it as a purposeful tool for creation and meaningful storytelling, rather than just passive consumption.

The Making of a Universe in a Box: workshop phases

Phase 1: Introduction

Present the idea that a box can be more than a container: it can hold stories, dreams, or memories. Share examples from previous A Universe in a Box creations, such as A Box for Returning to India, to show how physical design and digital layers can merge into poetic storytelling. Highlight that each box is unique: it can be minimal or complex, playful or solemn, but always personal and meaningful.

Resource: Example – The Sky Beneath the Stone (YouTube)

Resource: Example – A Box for Returning to India (YouTube)

Resource: Example – Boxes made by pre-service teachers (YouTube)

Phase 2: Story Development & Visual Design

Participants choose a theme that resonates with them —a memory, an emotion, or an abstract idea. They then translate it into visual metaphors: colours, textures, and objects that symbolize their theme. Encourage them to think poetically: contrasts, hidden compartments, and surprising details can give the box atmosphere and depth.

At this stage, participants should also begin designing the narrative structure of their storytelling: how will the story unfold as the box is opened, explored, or revealed? Which elements of the story will be expressed through physical materials, and which parts might be better supported by the digital layer on the device’s screen?

Sketching or journaling ideas helps clarify both the visual concept and the flow of the story, ensuring coherence between physical and digital dimensions.

Resource: Explore your feelings with art (Tate Kids)

Phase 3: Building the Physical Box

Participants either modify an existing box (like a shoebox or wooden box) or build one from scratch with cardboard or recycled materials. They decorate and transform it using paint, collage, or found objects, always connecting materials to their theme. Crucially, they must plan where the phone or tablet will be inserted —whether visible, hidden, or revealed as part of the story. Adding poetic layers (windows, secret compartments, or light effects) enriches the experience.

Phase 4: Digital Interaction & Coding

Using OctoStudio or Scratch, participants create simple interactive elements that enhance their storytelling: stars that twinkle, voices that echo, shapes that tremble. They can experiment with motion, sound, and touch-based responses, coding simple yet expressive animations that bring their stories to life. Encourage the use of self-made or Creative Commons images rather than default libraries. The digital part should feel like a poetic extension of the physical box, not just a technical add-on.

Resource: Download OctoStudio | Learning resources for OctoStudio | OctoStudio explorations by Tinkering Studio

Resource: Scratch Platform | Learning resources for Scratch 

Phase 5: Bringing the Box to Life

The digital project is embedded into the physical box via a phone or tablet. Participants test how the physical and digital elements interact: does the animation align with the openings? Do sounds enhance the mood? Refinements ensure the two layers merge into one coherent storytelling space. The idea is to create a hybrid space, where tangible materials and interactive digital elements coexist, creating a layered and immersive storytelling experience.

Phase 6: Presentation & Reflection

The workshop culminates in a collective sharing session where each participant unveils their Universe in a Box to the group. This final moment is one of revelation, as boxes are opened to expose the stories within. Participants reflect on their creative journey, discussing their inspirations, challenges, and discoveries. The session concludes with a conversation about the intersection of art, technology, and storytelling, encouraging participants to continue exploring new ways to express their narratives through both physical and digital means.

Notes on Participation

The activity works best individually, allowing each participant to express their own inner universe. However, it can also be adapted for small teams, where roles (design, coding, narrative) are shared and coordinated.

Check the Resources Page for presentations and tutorials of the activity.

The idea of this workshop was partially inspired by the activity “Cajas de salvamento” by Manuel Moranta.