Explorie the unique stories of your urban neighbourhood
Urban Story Boxes are interactive boxes to playfully explore your neighborhood. They offer a deeper understanding of the area's past, present, future, its people, events, and its unique character. Each box contains audio-visual information about your neighborhood such as stories about famous residents, historical events, and exciting facts. Interacting with these boxes will foster your connection to your neighborhood and unlock a fresh view on your everyday urban setting!
Local
Germany
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Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
As individual(s) in partnership with organisation(s)
First name: Iulia-Maria Last name: Neagu Gender: Female Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: I planned this project with a partnership in mind, with m.ing.a architekten. The m.ing.a team bears responsibility, is interdisciplinary and great at project management. They provide versatile contact persons and expertise. At m.ing.a architekten, they think beyond classical architecture and explore new interfaces. Their sources of inspiration come from all walks of life, art, culture, technology, economics, politics and of course nature. Architecture at m.ing.a architekten starts with advice and support and follows for years after completion because the life cycle of their projects is part of their understanding of the task. These qualities and characteristics of m.ing.a architekten work complementary to my concepts implementation. Age: 20 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: Romania Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Richard Wagner Strasse 7 Town: München Postal code: 80333 Country: Germany Direct Tel:+49 89 588088650 E-mail:neagu@minga-architekten.de Website:http://www.minga-architekten.de
Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): urbanstories, localhistories, localheroes, urbanintervention, playfulexploration, gamification
Each neighborhood is like a strand that contributes to the larger fabric of the city and country. The unique character of a neighborhood is formed by the events and experiences of its past residents, creating a rich tapestry of history. Just as fibers woven together create a rug, the collective histories of neighborhoods create the larger story of the city and country. Understanding the history of a neighborhood provides a deeper understanding of how it fits into the larger picture and helps to connect the past and present. Focusing on the history of the neighborhood, this project invites us to re-discover the history of the city from a close up perspective.
The Urban Story Boxes Project(USB) involves the installation of small boxes (the size of an A5 paper) in the urban environment. These boxes contain interactive audio-visual information that is activated by user engagement. The user can interact with the information, learning about the history and character of their neighborhood through a combination of sound, video, and text. The boxes provide a new and accessible way to explore the history of the neighborhood, bringing new insights and perspectives to residents and visitors alike.
The project aims to present the events and experiences of past residents, in order for current residents to gain a more complete picture of the area's development and the factors that have shaped it over time. By highlighting the unique character of neighborhoods, it promotes civic engagement and participation. Informing residents about these development processes can provide context and a deeper understanding of current issues and help gain a fresh perspective on the challenges facing communities.
urban heritage conservation
sustainability
playful exploration
sense of belonging
urban history
One of the key objectives of Urban Story Boxes Project is to address sustainability through two different constructs: material and mental.
The material sustainability aspect of this project derives from its mobility, adaptability and durability. The boxes have the size of an A5 paper, so they can be installed effortlessly and in different setups. Thanks to their robust material casing, its hardware is protected against various weather conditions and they can be used in many different implementation periods of the project. The efficient monochrome screen allows the box to last many weeks to months.
The project also utilizes historical information to foster mental bonds between the residents and their city. Understanding the neighborhood's past experiences can help to build bridges between past and present residents, inspiring a sense of responsibility for the community's future. This can motivate residents to get involved in local initiatives and work together to address current issues, leading to a more vibrant and active community that values their environmental and cultural heritage.
The Urban Story Boxes Project require little effort to install, while enhancing the aesthetics of the urban realm through the design of the boxes, and with their various color and surface application possibilities.
Through the quality of their interactive experience, positive emotions are revoked for people. The audiovisual playback system provides cultural benefits by featuring local stories and background information on the city. This can be a great way to help people connect with each other and the local communal history. Additionally, it can be a creative way to explore the local culture and showcase facts which one might not yet be familiar of.
The USB Project conceptualizes an immersive and interactive experience for the public through the use of audio and visual elements, such as sound, music, animations, and even interactive games. The concept aims to foster a positive impact on people's emotions by providing a source of entertainment, curiosity, and engagement. The cultural and educational content offered to the public, such as information on local history, art, architecture or personal stories of local residents can be adapted in the local context, depending on the social structure and needs of the local residents.
The Urban Story Boxes Project is a tool that can be used to promote inclusion by sharing stories and narratives that challenge harmful societal norms and biases and inspire action towards a more inclusive society.
Sharing stories about the experiences of marginalized communities can raise awareness about the barriers they face and help to create empathy and understanding. Through past events and stories, individuals and communities can be inspired to take action to address inequality and create more inclusive environments. Including events and stories that celebrate the diversity of urban communities can help to challenge harmful stereotypes and promote a more inclusive culture. Also, historical events can be used to advocate to promote inclusion and address systemic barriers to equality.
Furthermore, the easy user interface of the USB Project allows easy access and interaction to people of all generations, fostering generational inclusion.
The concept of Urban Story Boxes Project provides an immersive and engaging experience, allowing citizens to gain a deeper understanding of historical events and the context in which they occurred. The USB Project make historical information more accessible to a wider range of people, whilst the interactive nature of the boxes promote increased engagement with the information, helping citizens to connect with and remember historical events more effectively.
The boxes can be designed to encourage collaboration and discussion among citizens, fostering a sense of community and promoting social cohesion. By telling historical stories, these interactive audiovisual boxes can help to preserve cultural heritage and promote a sense belonging. By providing a dynamic and engaging experience, interactive audiovisual urban boxes have the potential to greatly benefit citizens in terms of increased understanding, accessibility, engagement, community engagement, and the promotion of cultural heritage.
The Urban Story Boxes Project involves the engagement of different stakeholders at different levels, including local, regional, national, and European levels. The specific stakeholders involved may vary depending on the location and context.
While the local government may play a role in funding, installing, and maintaining the boxes, as well as working with local communities to identify the most relevant and appropriate historical information to be included, regional authorities may also raise funding or providing resources and expertise. National government may provide further funding for a wide range of implementation and support the development and deployment of the boxes, as well as establishing standards and regulations for the use of the audiovisual boxes in public spaces. The European Union may be involved in funding and supporting the development as part of its initiatives to promote cultural heritage and regional cooperation.
Local historical organizations, such as museums and archives, may play a role in providing historical information and expertise for the boxes, as well as preserving and protecting cultural heritage, whereas community groups may be involved to provide input on the content and ensuring that it is relevant and appropriate for local communities.
By engaging a range of stakeholders at different levels, the design and development of USB Project can benefit from a diverse range of perspectives and expertise, resulting in a more comprehensive and effective installation that meets the needs of different communities and stakeholders.
The design and development of USB involves contributions from a range of disciplines and knowledge fields. For example, technology experts are responsible for developing the audiovisual playback system, ensuring that it is reliable, secure, and easy to use. Historians and experts in cultural heritage will provide historical information and context, helping to ensure that the content is accurate and relevant. Urban planners and architects are involved in the placement and design of the boxes, ensuring that they are accessible and attractive to users. Education experts contribute to the design of the user experience, ensuring that the information is engaging and effective for learning.
The interaction between representatives from these different fields is a valuable aspect for the success of the project. Each discipline brings their unique perspective, expertise, and skills to the table, fostering a more comprehensive design.
For example, the interaction between technology experts and historians ensures that the historical information is displayed correctly. Meanwhile, the interaction between urban planners and interaction designers helps to ensure that the boxes are both accessible and engaging to users, fostering interaction.
The combined expertise of the different disciplines ensure that the USB are both technically sound and culturally relevant, providing an engaging and meaningful experience for users.
Urban Story Boxes can help to promote civic engagement and education by providing a unique and innovative way to learn about local history, culture, and heritage.
The innovative approach oft he USB Project is characterized through the installation of the boxes in the urban setting. This is an innovative approach to historical education and urban interaction, compared to more traditional methods. The dynamic and constantly updating content, provides a more relevant and up-to-date experience.
Another innovative character lies in the interactive nature of the audiovisual boxes, which allows for a more engaging and dynamic experience for the user, promoting a more active learning experience. The use of audiovisual technology provides a more immersive experience for the user, promoting increased engagement and interest. Interactive audiovisual boxes make information and content accessible to a wider range of people, right where they are located.
In further implementations, the USB Project can be designed to encourage collaboration between users, fostering a sense of community and collective learning.
Transferring the USB concept to other places, beneficiaries, and contexts for further local or regional implementations can use the experience and expertise developed in the design, development and deployment of the USBs, helping to create installations that meet the unique needs of each context.
The content of the boxes can be updated according to the relevant context and locations, thus USB can be applied to further locations and contexts, allowing for the implementation of similar installations in with different content.
USB’s methodology demands an interdisciplinary collaboration of different fields such as technology, history, urban planning, education, and interaction design experts, which can be used as a model for further implementations of boxes for different contexts, such as urban games, urban information systems or citizen engagement.
The learnings from the project, such as the challenges and successes during the implementation period can be used to inform and improve further projects in various locations.
The local focus on the USB Project addresses global issues from a micro level, that helps to build stronger, more connected, and more sustainable communities as a whole.
Through the installation of the boxes, the project contributes to place-making and the creation of a sense of urban identity by highlighting the unique history and cultural heritage of a local area. By providing a common point of interest and understanding, the boxes can help to foster social cohesion and encourage people from diverse backgrounds to connect and engage with each other. Furthermore, the USB Project can help to promote sustainability and preservation by highlighting the importance of local cultural heritage and encouraging its protection and preservation.
