Explore the present and future of two interface communities in Belfast — Divis / Townsend and Short Strand / Inner East.
Explore
a 3D present and future map of your community in Augmented Reality, giving you the freedom to zoom in and "walk your streets" or zoom out and take a birds eye view of your area.
Share
your views of your present and future scenarios as you explore the map. Just drag the icon to post your comments on any of the highlighted areas located throughout the maps.
Collaborate
with others from your community by reading and responding to each other's comments. This creates an opportunity to redesign your future together as a community.
Mission
This project aims to enable people to shape their present and future from the palm of their hands using AR technology. Its unique combination of realistic and imaginative 3D mapping and interactive comment system will allow community members to share ideas about how to improve where they live and work today as well as shape what it will be tomorrow. This is an empowering tool for enhancing community collaboration and participatory governance locally and globally.
Interfacing
This project is inspired by the work and philosophy of the Belfast Interface Project and its strategic director Joe O'Donnell, who aims to bring divided communities together through promoting
- mutual understanding
- the aquisition and dissemination of new knowledge
- respect and tolerance
- shared ownership of common issues, concerns, resources and opportunities
- creativity and innovation
- equality and accountability, self-help and mutual support
Future Building
This project seeks to help communities transcend the histories that divide them through coming together to imaginatively create shared futures. The app embodies critical theories of "future building" introduced by lead academic Professor Peter Bloom.
Empowering Technologies
This project was developed and designed in collaboration with the technology co-operative Animorph. They create new dimensions and social possibilities using Augmented and Virtual Reality technologies.
Community Driven
This project worked with the social enterprise Cobra Collective for creating a technology that supports community participation, promotes social cohesion, and empowers communities to achieve positive change and control their destiny.
Community Planning Toolkit
The ‘Shared Futures’ app is part of a Community Planning Toolkit designed by Belfast Interface Project and Essex University to enable communities to co-create positive change. Apart from the app, the toolkit includes a dedicated website, and MAZI Raspberry Pie offline hub for local consultation and collaboration.