Sheffield, a city in the UK, has launched a virtual art trail that is turning iconic buildings in the city centre into canvases for digital artworks. The app and platform were created by a local company called Megaverse, working in collaboration with Niantic, the San Francisco-based company that developed the hit mobile game Pokémon Go. The artworks were created by two other local firms: Universal Everything and Human Studio. The project was inspired by the closure of the John Lewis department store, a landmark building in the city centre.
Revitalizing the City
When the pandemic hit, the John Lewis department store closed. The city council bought the building and planned its revival. However, locals were unaware of the plans and thought the city was losing its spirit. Mark Mobbs, the city’s place brand and marketing manager, was tasked with designing branded fences to make construction sites look more cheerful. But instead of static art, Mobbs decided to create dynamic artworks.
Dynamic Artworks
The project quickly grew from one building to a citywide attempt to reengage residents with their city. Sheffield launched “Look Up!”, a large augmented-reality art trail in February. It features four buildings paired with QR codes on the sidewalk. By scanning the code with a free app, viewers can see animated arrows on their phone’s screen leading them to look up towards the building’s roof. The app has already been downloaded by over 1,500 people and nearly 2,000 QR codes have been scanned in the first week. Universal Everything designed colorful characters on the roof of the former John Lewis building, while Human Studio rendered a gray cat called Hank on the Central Library rooftop. The art trail covers four key locations within a mile radius, all of which are within walking distance. Mobbs explained that the choice of rooftops as a canvas was due to Sheffield’s hilly topography, which made it easy for people to appreciate the AR-enhanced rooftops from different vantage points.
A New Way of Engaging with Cities
Sheffield is not the first city to use technology to enhance public engagement. Buffalo, New York, turned two signs into AR portals to show visitors what two parks would have looked like if they still existed. Phoenix, Arizona, developed an augmented-reality scavenger hunt that allows visitors to learn more about the city’s past and future. The Sheffield art trail aims to be a beacon of change. The team plans to expand the art walk to include more buildings soon. By offering a new way to make cities more attractive, such initiatives are set to become increasingly popular.
