Sanctiva

a GAMIFIED MINDFULNESS APP

Challenge

Mindfulness doesn’t always have to feel clinical or heavy. Many mental health apps focus on structured courses, daily check-ins, or strict routines.

Access often depends on paid subscriptions, which can be out of reach for those turning to these tools as a last resort.

Client
Passion Project

Tools
Figma

Role
UX/UI Designer

Duration
Ongoing

Solution

Sanctiva instead offers a low-pressure, playful way to reconnect with breath, reflection, and compassion. Through calming minigames and guided experiences, the app is designed to give users what they need most in the moment: a pause, a breath, a pocket of peace.

Each minigame is its own realm of calm. The design is light and playful but intentional, ensuring the experience feels soothing rather than overwhelming.

Mindfulness + Escapism + Minigames + Mobile design

Flows to Prototypes

I began by creating a flow diagram that mapped out user journeys across realms: onboarding, selecting a game, and interacting with Ori. This clarified the app’s structure and ensured users could move fluidly between states of play and reflection. From there, I translated these flows into high-fidelity prototypes, bringing each realm to life with interactive screens that captured both the functionality and the mood of the app.


Design Language

I built a mini design system to unify Sanctiva’s look and feel. Playful colors, rounded typography, and calming interactions ensured the app felt like stepping into a new planet of peace, whimsical yet grounding.


Calming Minigames

Each minigame is designed to be simple, accessible, and quick—ideal for users who need just a few minutes of calm. Instead of lessons or long courses, users can dive into immersive, self-contained experiences that encourage mindfulness through play. The goal is not to complete a curriculum but to practice presence in small, achievable bursts.


Ori, the Companion

Ori is a soft, guiding presence woven throughout the app. Gentle and spirit-like, Ori provides comfort without demanding attention. In future iterations, Ori will use AI integration to suggest the right game for the user’s current needs, acting as both a companion and a guide.


The result is a prototype for a mindfulness app that:

Keeps Mindfulness accessible

Minigames designed for quick pauses, not long commitments. Replacing rigid courses with light, interactive experiences.

Balances whimsy with calm

A visual language that’s both playful and soothing, giving users a sense of escape and peace.

Supports future growth

With flow diagrams, prototypes, and a design system ready to scale into additional realms and experiences. Humanizes guidance with Ori, a soft companion who will eventually adapt suggestions using AI.

Sanctiva blends mindfulness, play, and design into a calming digital space — a gentle invitation to slow down, notice, and grow.

the Full Experience

Stay tuned to see how the app works in real time

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Mark Venaglia - Summer 2025

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Uventex - Fall 2024