Untold City

We* believe unique and exciting answers to the challenge lie at the intersections of public participation, design, and emerging technology. To prove that, we* partnered with ‘Kaunas Biennial - a leading cultural organization based in one of Lithuania’s largest cities, Kaunas.

Project by: Lukas Valiauga & Justas Motuzas

Rediscovering cities

During the three-month programme we set out to bring together a diverse group of local artists, commissioning them to create stories for the city. Participating artists worked with local producers, curators and historians, guiding them through the process of generating, writing and producing narratives that were then realised as a single city-wide, interactive experience. 

Form follows the story

Stories were created through a close collaboration between the participants. Musicians worked with sculptors, painters and graphic artists to give each story a unique form.

True to the medium

To convey that in the form of a digital experience, we used photogrammetry. Hundreds of images of each object were recorded, recreating them in a 3D space. The 3D objects were then rigged, animated and transformed into two- to three-minute2-3 minute audio-spatial animations.

Not another app

The process of developing an AR application is time-consuming and expensive. Even then, end-users are often skeptical or reluctant to download new apps.

Above all, interaction were individual and safe within the context of the pandemic crisis.

Embracing the medium

Making full use of the platform, we designed the experience in such a way to be easy to follow and intuitive. For example:

• as the user lands onto the project account page, they see a map of the city highlighting where all the stories are located
• next, tapping on each picture in a map opens up a gallery of images rewarding the user with insights into each story
• finally, as the user makes their way to the ‘AR’ tab, each story features apreview image corresponding to the signage they see in front of them in real life.

Results

The process culminated in the creation of a series of six thematically connected stories set within walking distance of the city centre.

The project piloted in September 2020 and ran for three months. Throughout this time the stories were talked about and widely covered in the local news, with the result that the stories were ‘visited’ almost 20,000 times by the public and tourists.