Abstract

The Sandbox Game has been extensively explored in pediatrics and psychiatry, highlighting tactile and sensory engagement's mental and emotional benefits—mainly through interaction with sand. Such engagement fosters self-awareness, stress reduction, and overall emotional well-being while promoting a deeper connection to the present (Knudsen, 2023; Malonai, 2023). The multisensory stimulation provided by sand—combined with sound-based tools and visual interactions with geometric patterns—is a core element of mindfulness practices aimed at enhancing psychological health (Gibson, 1979; Joye & van den Berg, 2011). In the artistic research project "Cymatic Artifact" (2021-2023 UBB), we explored the transformative properties of sand and its resonance with other materials, investigating its potential to contribute to well-being through tactile engagement. We examined how natural elements—such as dunes, wind, and sound geometry via bamboo sections functioning as wind organs or sound gardens—can be integrated into therapeutic environments (Chladni, 1787; Castro & Pássaro, 2017). Our findings suggest that incorporating these elements can significantly enhance the design of therapeutic products and artistic installations. This research underscores the role of creative processes in harnessing sound energy to develop innovative design objects, such as ceramic spheres with textured surfaces inspired by cymatic patterns, thereby advancing both artistic and practical knowledge in design and well-being (Borgdorff, 2010; Blessing, Qureshi, & Gericke, 2013; Knudsen, 2023)