At a glance:

• Augmented reality-driven tour

• Delivered on bespoke Android handsets, audio handsets and BYOD

• Narrative-based with motion captured historical characters

• Ceiling designer, ceiling explorer, painting explorer and other features

Bart’s Hospital is the oldest hospital in the UK. The North Wing houses the historic Hogarth Stair and impressive Great Hall, The multimedia, personal device and audio guides interpret the space and surrounding Smithfields area for a wide range of visitors, including patients and staff at the hospital. The tour had work on many levels; provide light relief for people who might be experiencing challenges, but also satisfy those visitors who wanted to dig deeper and receive an expert-led deep dive.

Wide Sky built the creative around three important figures in the history of Barts: William Hogarth, painter of the Hogarth Stair; Isla Stewart, Matron at Barts; and Antony Brett, the last Barts Steward. These expert guides were brought to life with augmented reality and lead visitors through the space, introducing each point of interest and making themselves available for Q&A sessions. Smaller AR experiences pepper the tour; for example, the ability to swipe through 3D recreations of the family crests that line the very top of the walls in the Great Hall.

A “design your own Great Hall ceiling” feature uses artwork sourced from baroque, neo-classical and co-created original work to reimagine the Great Hall ceiling and view the designs in AR.

Due the relatively small size of the space and high density of points of interest, the main tour navigation is done via a 3D map. This allows visitors to quickly understand where to see each point of interest. The simple features promote wayfinding and ensure the visitor experience flows smoothly around the physical space.

The narrative content was carefully developed in conjunction with the team at Barts North Wing and was designed to be used across different resources, allowing for tiered accessibility that feels inclusive to visitors no matter their age or comfort levels with technology.

All of the content is framed by a user interface that is sympathetic to the digital presence of Barts North Wing, and ensures all users are able to navigate the tour and each point of interest.

A secondary bring-your-own-device tour is available online for free and features the locations immediately adjacent to the North Wing, taking in Smithfields, the church of St Barts the Less and the newer King Edward building opposite. This tour leads directly to the North Wing and is designed to encourage visitors to try the paid Multimedia tour.

Credits

Creative Director - Chris Parker

Developer - Rob Presland

Mocap Studio - Nottingham Trent University

Script - Deborah Mulhearn

Photography - Phil Giles