Pink Generation

Date

18 OCT 2024 24 OCT 2024

Week

Week 1

Unit

UX Studio Practice

Team

Dahoon Lee, Chen Chen, Diya Paode, Jade They, Wanrui Ren

Brief

Design an experience based on the characteristics of the colour pink.

In short

Pink carries shifting meanings, shaped by culture, time, and personal identity.
Through light-based tools, participants created their own pinks rooted in memory and emotion.
The project revealed how framing and immersion shape collective interpretations of colour.

Understanding Pink

Pink is a colour with many contradictions and charms. Sometimes it’s soft and delicate, and at other times, bold and powerful. What pink symbolises has also shifted across time and culture.

According to colour theory, the first colours to be distinguished by humans were black and white, based on light and darkness. Gradually, other hues emerged—and pink was among the last to be recognised (Fine, 2021). Despite this late arrival, pink has gained strong positive associations: health, beauty, femininity, and sweetness (Feisner & Reed, 2013).

Artifact Analysis: Pink as Identity

We conducted an artifact analysis of Grania’s bold pink hair. Her choice of colour revealed a deep affection for self-expression, allowing her to present a distinct identity and even invite conversation. Through this personal element, we explored pink more meaningfully—as a medium for connection and individuality.

Conducted artifact analysis based on Grania’s hair colour. Image Credit: Group

Cultural Timeline & Ideation

During brainstorming, we were inspired by how pink has been used throughout generations—not just as fashion or branding, but as a cultural statement. Iconic pinks reflect the eras they belong to:

1950s housewife pink
1960s magenta
1970s punk pink
1980s neon and bubblegum
2010s millennial dusty pink

This led us to a key question: What pink defines our generation today?

The evolution of pink shades by era. Image Credit: Group

Creative Toolkit: Defining Today’s Pink

Used LED lights for the test. Photo Credit: Author

Initially considered using colour films, but found LED colour control to be sufficient. Photo Credit: Author

To answer that question, we needed to find the shared pinks in people’s minds. We designed a creative toolkit using LED lights.

Initially, participants tried layering monochrome white LEDs with colour films, but we quickly realised this method lacked precision. So we provided RGB LEDs with adjustable brightness and saturation, allowing users to create their own ideal pink.

Adjusted saturation, brightness, and other settings to create their own interpretation of pink. Photo Credit: Author

Participant testing the creation of their own pink. Photo Credit: Author

After selecting a pink, participants drew an image based on their personal experiences. Photo Credit: Author

After selecting their pink, participants were asked to express it as an object using either illustration or clay. This resulted in ten personalised interpretations of pink—each capturing a unique emotion or memory.

Step 1: Close your eyes and recall a memory related to pink. Photo Credit: Author

Step 2: Use the dial to select the imagined pink colour. Photo Credit: Author

Step 3: Create an object inspired by that memory in the pink light. Photo Credit: Author

Collected pink colours and related 3D objects. Photo Credit: Author

Interim Reflection

We received positive feedback for using light as an immersive medium. Participants appreciated the atmosphere we created. However, some noted that it might be difficult to define a single pink for an entire generation based on such limited data.

We also learned that our initial prompt—“Make your favourite pink”—was confusing for some. With a simple adjustment (inviting them to close their eyes and visualise first), participants were more confident and expressive.

This reinforced the importance of user-centred framing when designing experiential tasks.

Reference

Coles, D. (2018) Chromatopia: An Illustrated History of Colour. Melbourne: Thames & Hudson.
Feisner, E.A. and Reed, R. (2013) Color Studies. London: A&C Black.
Fine, A. (2021) Color Theory: A Critical Introduction. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Nemitz, B. (ed.) (2006) Pink: The Exposed Color in Contemporary Art and Culture. Ostfildern: Hatje Cantz.
Williams, S. (2019) The Pink Book: An Illustrated Celebration of the Color, from Bubblegum to Battleships. London: Laurence King Publishing.