DURHAM CATHEDRAL
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT / EDITING / MULTI-TOUCH PROGRAMMING / INTERACTIVES / ENCODING / HARDWARE LIAISON / LOCATION FILMING / VISUAL-FX / 3D MODELLING / SOUND DESIGN / ANIMATION / CMS / PEPPER’S GHOST HOLOGRAM
OPEN TREASURE
Durham Cathedral’s 'Open Treasure' showcases over 2,000 years of historically, architecturally and religiously significant events and artefacts.
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AY-PE’s audio-visual and interactive designs help visitors of all ages, engage with, explore and understand the development and impact of Christianity in the north east, from earliest times to the present day. Created to encourage a modern connection with faith and a lasting passion for the exhibition.
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Collaborating with exhibition designer Studio MB and Cathedral experts, AY-PE created nine touchscreen interactives, a cathedral soundscape, Pepper’s Ghost 'hologram' CGI, CMS databases, 3D architectural models and various films and animations for the ‘Open Treasure’ exhibition.
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Client: Durham Cathedral
Exhibition Design: Studio MB
Hardware: Fusion LX & Bruns
HOLOGRAM STORIES
St Cuthbert’s AD698 coffin and its carvings are incomplete and faded – the surviving pieces being presented on a black replica coffin. An AV solution was required to bring the history, design and significance of this item to life without harming the priceless artefact. We designed a 'Pepper's Ghost' holographic film - the illusion magically writing and drawing on the Coffin itself. 3D graphics and motion typography illustrate, name and interpret each carving, bringing the lost artistry to life.
STONE COLLECTION
There are a lot of stories in stone, but they aren't that easy to see. A multi-layered touch interactive was designed to help a visitor explore the stories of the Cathedral's stone collection, in whatever way best inspires them. From 3D scans to new interviews footage with experts, depths of content are presented in an easy-to-use UI, designed to welcome a contemporary audience.
INTERACTIVE MONKS
Featuring our colourful, bespoke illustrations and animations based on monastic illuminated manuscripts, the visitor selects a character, then swipes through carefully researched, bite-sized content – to gain an understanding of that monk’s role, life and purpose. The visitor leaves the interactive with a better, more colourful knowledge of the Benedictine monks who collectively ran the Cathedral and who influenced society and religion across the north east.
ARE YOU A PILGRIM?
A CMS, community interactive was created so visitors may input their ‘pilgrimage’ information, which then appears on a large-scale, projected map alongside other ‘pilgrim’ stories - conveying a sense of Cathedral pilgrimage. A consent/ disclaimer notice regarding data collection and usage was integrated.
Another playful 'Pilgrim' interactive was also designed, where visitors choose from a selection of images in order to create and share their own 'Pilgrim badge'
CATHEDRAL MOMENTS
As an expert in wireframe and 3D modeling, AY-PE researched and recreated the architectural evolution of Durham Cathedral over the centuries.
Presented through an elegant interactive touchscreen, the visitor explores each time period at their own pace – scrolling timescale, architectural changes and historical context.
Other AV software creations included projection mapped animated stone colourings, sound design and immersive Cathedral audio.
HEAD OF COLLECTIONS, DURHAM CATHEDRAL
It has been a delight to work with AY-PE on this project. Their creativity and the high quality of their work has helped to build an outstanding exhibition space which receives a great deal of positive feedback.