Glimpse
of an Echo
Glimpse of an Echo is a modern reimagining of the classic “I Spy” book, exploring themes of childhood, memory, and the passage of time. Each image invites viewers to slow down, look closer, and rediscover the wonder found in small details. The project also extends into an immersive installation that brings the book’s world to life—an environment designed to feel like stepping directly into one of its pages. Together, the book and installation create a playful yet reflective space that asks what it means to see, remember, and grow up.
Tags: Graphic Design, Publication Design, Photography, Sculpture, Installation
The Story
This book is an invitation to pause and rediscover the quiet magic of childhood, now seen through the lens of adulthood. As we get older, life moves faster, and we often overlook the small things that once filled us with wonder. We’re told to focus on the big picture, but as children, the details were everything. We took time to explore, to notice, to absorb. The scenes in this book are meant to help you reconnect with that slower, more mindful way of being, where every moment was a new adventure. It’s a reminder to stop, look, and really see—just as we did when we were young, before the rush of growing up took over.
Glimpse of an Echo reflects how our memories of childhood work. A “glimpse” is a brief moment, something we can only catch for a second before it fades away—kind of like our childhood. It’s an echo because, as time passes, we don’t remember the event itself, but rather the last time we tried to recall it. Over time, memories fade, but they still echo through our lives, shaping how we see the world today. This book attempts to hold onto those echoes, capturing those fleeting moments and inviting us to reflect on the past as it continues to influence who we are now.
Publication
The publication draws inspiration from the I Spy books I loved growing up, but reimagines that sense of play through a more personal lens. Inside, there are two different types of pages—some that invite you to “spy the difference” between images, and others that challenge you to “find the item.” I wanted the book to feel like an individual experience, something intimate and reflective, where each viewer could move at their own pace and reconnect with the quiet focus of childhood. In contrast, the installation transforms that same idea into a shared, communal space, inviting people to explore together. I also chose to make the book physically larger, echoing how oversized and magical books once felt in our hands as children, when the world—and every page—seemed so much bigger than us.
Installation
Glimpse of an Echo is both a book and an immersive installation that exist as one connected experience. Together, they create a world where the viewer can quite literally step inside an “I Spy” page—surrounded by whimsical objects, hidden details, and echoes of childhood wonder. The installation is designed as the physical home for the project, bringing its imagery and atmosphere to life. Within this space, visitors are invited to slow down, explore, and rediscover the same sense of curiosity and discovery that defines the book itself, blurring the line between looking, remembering, and being part of the scene.
