This project ‘Planet Barnsley’ investigates how comic artist Moebius’ visual language can be a used as a method to represent post‑industrial identity and transformation in Barnsley Town Centre. This will be recreated as a 3D landscape, a response to how Post-Industrial Northern England can be reimagined as a speculative sci-fi.

By re‑envisioning Barnsley as a speculative sci‑fi, I wish to inspire optimism in the community I grew up in. As the town becomes more resentful toward change, I want to give a vision of hope to speculate positively on social improvements.

In this project, I adopt practice-led research to develop my visual worldbuilding techniques. Starting this project completely new to Shaders, my technical exploration centres on developing a comic style shader that channels Moebius’ key visual elements. Because looking through the Moebius’ lens will enable me to craft visually striking work that encapsulates how Sci-Fi is a medium to speculate on worries of a generation. I treat the developing digitisation of Barnsley as its own ecology and think about how the current town’s landscape can be exaggerated through Moebius. To show how properly integrated social improvements and technological advances will enable streamlined services and a synthesis of nature and technology. I want to create a sense of hope and creatively demonstrate how a town can sustain digitalisation and not become a dystopian for residents.