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Virtual Reality

Sandra Olga is a dedicated creator passionate about preserving cultural heritage through innovative VR projects. By integrating virtual reality with interactive mindfulness, she aims to enhance user experiences that foster connection and reflection. With a strong background in 3D modelling, Sandra seamlessly collaborates with advanced 3D-generating artificial intelligence to bring her visions to. Her work not only showcases technology's potential also honors the stories and traditions that shape our world.

The 1st Global Typhoon Macau 1874: A Rediscovery Virtual Exhibition (2024)

The exhibition commemorates the devastating Great Typhoon of September 22-23, 1874, which ravaged Macao, killing nearly 5,000 people and destroying over 1,200 junks and sampans. The exhibition reflects the typhoon's brutal impact on the city, featuring 12 haunting photographs by Chinese photographer Lai Afong, taken just days after the disaster. Co-sponsored by various institutions, it also highlights the typhoon’s role in advancing early efforts in meteorology across Asia, marking the beginning of international reporting and study of natural disasters.

 

This virtual exhibition, launched alongside the physical one at USJ's Ilha Verde campus, presents a larger archive of exhibits and AI-restored and AI-animated post-disaster photographs of Hong Kong. Through this multimedia integration, the exhibition showcases a new approach to digitising intangible heritage at USJ.

 

On-site Exhibition Curator: Professor Priscilla Roberts

On-site Executive Curators: Emily Chan, Catarina Lei

3D modelled, curated and rendered by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

Typhoon 1874 Sandra Olga Ng

International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU)
Exhibit Showcase (2024)

A collaboration with Seton Hall University. A haven for contemporary, multidisciplinary exhibitions and installations that ignite the senses and fuel the imagination. Within this creative enclave, USJ has crafted a dynamic learning space that enriches the intellectual life of the USJ and its community and nurtures leadership development among faculty and students. Prepare to explore four captivating categories within our gallery: Heritage and Culture, Heritage and Visual Identity, Art and Fabrication, and Virtual Galleries. Each category offers a unique perspective, showcasing diverse exhibits that blend tradition with innovation. From the captivating display of traditional artefacts to the cutting-edge utilisation of digital technology, such as 3D modelling, rendering, printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality, our exhibits push the boundaries of creativity and venture into uncharted territories of art and design.


Project Supervisors: Prof. Stephen Morgan, Prof. Carlos Sena Caires

Coordinator: Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

Website & online curator: Prof. Filipa Martins de Abreu

IFCU Sandra Olga Ng

360º Panoramic Photo Tour of the Holy Cross Chapel of
the University of Saint Joseph (2024)

Preserving the amazing architecture and wood crafts inside a contemporary chapel located on the Green Campus of University of Saint Joseph, Ilha Verde, Macau, China.

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Photography: Alumni Mamadú Seck
Project Supervisor: Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

Holy Cross Sandra Olga Ng

Mindfulness Single User Experience (2023)

The "Mindfulness Virtual Reality (VR) Experiment" is part of study outcome from a PhD in Global Studies at the University of Saint Joseph. It aims to understand participant’s main thoughts and connections to mindfulness through testing four immersive experiences in VR.

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3D modelled, curated and rendered by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

Mindfulness Sandra Olga Ng

Night Painting (2023)

The University of Saint Joseph in Macao, China, proudly presents the "Night Painting" exhibition, featuring the creative talents of Bachelor students in Communication and Media. This extraordinary showcase of their work promises to be a captivating experience. 

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Projects Supervisors: Prof. José Manual Simões and Prof. João Brochado
VR Supervised and Curated by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

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ARTeFACTo2022Macao | Art Gallery / Conference Room (2022)

On the 24 & 25 November 2022 the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of University of Saint Joseph (Macau S.A.R, China) is organising the ARTeFACTo 2022 Macao International Conference on “Digital Creation in Arts, Media and Technology”.

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Giving the possibility to break the restriction of physical inaccessibility to Macau, this virtual exhibition gallery was 3D modelled to showcase artworks and installations arts alongside the ARTeFACTo 2022 Macao International Conference. We welcome every interested individual to join us here and experience this first-ever virtual immersive experience in USJ, embedding various media, NFTs, and virtual chatrooms with artists. 

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3D modelled and arranged by Gustavo Mendes Barbosa Bourbon Martins (Year 4, Bachelor of Design) / Matthew Hou Chon Si (Year 4, Bachelor of Design) 

Supervised, exhibition curated and rendered by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

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Chapel of St. Michael VR Tour (2022)

Inspired by the Chapel of St.Michael, located in St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery, Macao, China. Find your peace and serenity here by focussing and concentrating on your prayer. 

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Graveyards and cemeteries are often intimidating areas to be mentioned in Chinese culture. Introducing grave mourning in virtual reality to Macao’s community is challenging since it must be of a good balance of being able to recreate the realistic experience of ‘visiting’ the deceased and not being intimidated by the ordinary cemetery atmosphere. Considering the privacy of other deceased and the sole aim of connecting to the only decedent we want to commemorate on the spot, the Chapel of St. Michael is selected to be recreated.

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For the funeral mass, the Chapel of St. Michael was built in 1875 in the St. Michael’s Cemetery (Macao, China). The building, designed by designer Barão do Cercal, covers an area of about 350 square metres. The exterior is Gothic Revival style, while the entire building is painted green and white. The main building has only one floor, and a bell tower is at its entrance. The Chapel is symmetrical, with three stained glass windows behind the altar. St. Michael's statue is placed in the centre of the altar, with many candles and plants around as decoration.

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3D modelled, curated and rendered by Prof. Sandra Olga Ng Ka Man

BGM: Nada Te Turbe | Organ: Branda Vong, Viola: Edward Yee 

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VR USJ (2021)

The Ilha Verde Campus of The University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Macao, China, was inaugurated in 2019 as its headquarter. As part of the practice in a module named Virtual Environment designed for year 3 students from Bachelor of Design, we are here to 3D model some part of the campus. 


To begin, the lecturer Sandra Olga Ng prepared the basic architecture of the campus, including its Academic Building and first few floors of the Residential Hall. Then, each student took a small part to work on detailed modelling. With 6 students involved, 6 locations are included, namely, the entrance, the platform, the Don Bosco Auditorium, the Canteen (海王冰室), the Library, and the Exhibition Gallery. 


Also, other projects are also integrated, they are (1) a collaboration from last year's Design class as a collage of a classroom on the 6th floor and (2) an exhibition of stools from the Furniture Design module by the same group of students. Detailed introduction will be found under each rendering. 


The presentation of this project takes an exaggerated approach. Architecture stays simple and clean apart from those highlighted locations that are shown transparent on the overview. These places catch our eyes as we wander around the campus while realistic renderings are presented upon further navigation.

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