Sunwalk

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## Inspiration The idea for SunWalk started during my first winter in New York. I moved here from my hometown in Southwest China - a place known for its constant sunshine. Growing up there, sunlight was something I never had to think about. It was simply part of everyday life.

But that changed after moving to New York. During one particularly long winter storm, the city stayed grey for days. I started feeling unusually low and unmotivated, but at the time I couldn’t quite understand why. It wasn’t until later that I realized how much the absence of sunlight had affected my mood.

That experience made me think about how invisible sunlight often is in our daily lives. People can feel its impact, but rarely notice it directly or think about how to seek it out intentionally. SunWalk was designed from this realization: to help people notice sunlight again, and gently guide them to step outside and reconnect with it through simple walks.

What it does

SunWalk helps people become more aware of the sunlight around them and turn everyday walking into a moment to recharge.

The app visualizes how much sunlight someone has received during the day and maps where sunlight is currently available across the city. When heading somewhere, SunWalk can suggest routes that pass through sunnier streets and open spaces.

At the same time, the experience is not purely data-driven. SunWalk also supports “casual walks” - destination-free walks where users simply choose preferences such as parks, quiet streets, or places to sit. The system then generates a round-trip route designed to feel calm and exploratory, occasionally suggesting pleasant spots along the way.

How we built it

SunWalk was primarily designed and prototyped in Figma Make and Figma Design.

We mainly used Figma Make to build the interface and interaction flows, while also using Figma design as a creative assistant during the process to identify design systems and styles. And we jump between these two tools to iterate the layouts. This workflow allowed us to move quickly between concept and prototype, refining the experience as the idea evolved.

Challenges we ran into

One challenge was that we were not very familiar with Figma Make yet. Many steps in the process involved experimenting and learning how the tool behaves.

Because of this, building the prototype often required trial and error. Sometimes the results were not exactly what we expected, so we had to adjust prompts, rethink interactions, and iterate multiple times.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Within a short time frame, we were able to translate a personal observation into a coherent product concept.

We designed a full experience that connects sunlight awareness, route planning, and spontaneous walking. The prototype demonstrates multiple interaction modes while maintaining a consistent visual language and calm user experience.

Most importantly, the project shows how everyday technologies like maps and weather data can be reframed to support wellbeing rather than efficiency.

What we learned

Working on SunWalk reinforced how powerful small design interventions can be. Sometimes improving wellbeing does not require complex systems or new devices. It can come from helping people notice something that was already there - like sunlight.

We also learned the importance of designing for feelings rather than just functions. A walk is not only a route; it can be a moment to slow down, reset, and reconnect with the environment.

What's next for Sunwalk

If given more time, SunWalk could evolve in several directions.

Future versions could incorporate real-time sunlight prediction using urban shadow modeling, allowing the app to estimate where sunlight will appear throughout the day.

The experience could also expand to include seasonal wellbeing insights, helping people adapt their routines during darker months.

Finally, SunWalk could integrate more environmental signals, such as air quality, greenery, or noise levels - to support different types of restorative walks in the city.

The long-term vision is to make everyday outdoor moments more visible, intentional, and meaningful.