How can we bring queer history into the present?

Roles: Story Development, Experience Design, Web Development

VillageLIVE is an AR walking tour that presents a view into the past of NY using the archive of Nelson Sullivan. It is an ongoing project that was made in collaboration with Shir David and Jordan Frand.

This project has received support from NYC Media Lab, A+E Network, and the Columbia Journalism School.

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Concept Development

Nelson Sullivan was a video artist in 1980s New York, and many people consider him the first vlogger. His videos capture an amazing time in the city, when important figures of queer history were making a name for themselves. We wanted to use his archive to bring NYC’s queer history into the streets of now.

Notes on the story we wish to tell and why we wish to tell it.

Thinking through the pros of AR vs 360 video.

Augmented Reality

We decided that Augmented reality (AR) allows us to layer Nelson’s archival footage right on top of the actual places his videos were made - allowing users to walk through history while wandering through the city.

Experience Design

This project aims to celebrate queer community in the ways that it shapes and is shaped by public space in New York City. Using Nelson Sullivan’s video archive, past narratives come back to life in the streets where prominent figures of the city’s queer history once flourished.

Initial user flow explorations: Possible states for active vs passive users.

Initial user flow explorations: Activating video.

Final UX/UI designs and  flow. — Final UX/UI designs and flow.