“There are so many things along Broad, both in our individual and collective histories, that can come alive through this technology platform.”
Ellen Hwang, Philadelphia Director for the Knight Foundation
The Background
The North Broad Renaissance (NBR) has challenging goals – revitalizing the community, creating opportunities, and improving the economic power and overall quality of life along one of Philadelphia’s most prominent corridors – North Broad Street. So NBR looked to Dream Syndicate to develop a technology strategy to help.
Strategy
Along North Broad Street are 41 giant 55-foot-high public art fixtures – referred to as the North Poles. We developed a strategy to use these fixtures as the foundation of an Augmented Reality-infused walking tour along the corridor to connect visitors and community members to the mission of the North Broad Renaissance. The tour consists of 5 geo-located stops that each feature an appearance of our virtual tour guide, Aunyea Lachelle – also host of NBC10’s Philly Live – who provides insight into the history as well as plans for the future at each location.
Execution
Dream Syndicate designed and developed the Lights of North Broad mobile App to provide users with an easy interface to experience the tour. The app includes an easy-to-follow map of the North Broad corridor with the locations of featured stops, information and images of each stop, link outs to real time turn-by-turn directions to each stop, and of course the virtual tour guide AR experiences that entertain and educate tour participants.
We filmed our tour guide, Aunyea Lachelle, in our studio and turned her peppy and informative performances into AR-compatible videos – removing the background and adding a transition effect to ultimately make her virtual representation feel anchored within the real-world space around the user in AR.
The result was a first-of-its-kind series of on-the-street AR experiences spread across five historically important locations – spanning two miles of city blocks.
In addition, The Lights Of North Broad AR App encourages users to shop local businesses by offering unlockable discounts and coupons as they stroll and use the App to interact with the past, present, and future that is North Broad Street corridor.
Outcome
Through the magic of AR the Lights of North Broad tour offers increased community and business engagement, educates users about the history of the corridor, and promotes current and future investments. This project gives a tangible purpose to North Broad Street’s public art fixtures while expanding the visibility and awareness of a historically underserved, albeit historically significant, part of the city.
The Lights of North Broad mobile application was made possible with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Comcast, and in collaboration with agency Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners.
“What I love most is that it can do so many things. One thing is that we’re getting feet on the street, which is important to business development and business growth. The other thing is it breaks down barriers to engagement. All you need is a smartphone. You don’t have to attend a meeting. You don’t have to register for an event. All you have to do is walk down the street, and just like that, you’re connected to the work we’re doing here.”
Shalimar Thomas, Executive Director of the North Broad Renaissance
Credits
The Lights of North Broad Mobile AR Tour App
Brand
The North Broad Renaissance
Kind
Experiential, App, Augmented Reality
Industry
Arts and Culture, History
Agency
Dream Syndicate
Download link
northbroad.org/lights-north-broad/
Dreaming is an act of pure imagination, attesting in all men a creative power, which if it were available in waking, would make every man a Dante or Shakespeare. – H.F. Hedge