The Treasures of Christiansfeld - a toolbox for a playful guided tour by Aditi Kabra, Pierre Dorion, Natalia Gajo
- Students
-
- Education
- Master
- Subject area
- Industrial Design
- Focus area
- Design for Play
- Year
- 2021
- Education project type
- Course
- Collaboration partners
- Museum Kolding
What
The box, carried by the tour guide, contains different props that enhance the guided experience of Christiansfeld and help to keep the visitors engaged. Each element can be used to visualise different topic: the structure of the town (map with houses), architectural details (cue cards), the story of Moravian Church (Europe map with historical figures), the Elders Council (lottery) and core values (puzzle). The toolbox is open for the guides interpretation of how to exactly conduct the experience.
Why
The motivation to engage in this project was rooted in a personal experience of visiting Christiansfeld. The main impression of the visit was feeling lost, lacking structure, confused with scattered information. The stories we’ve heard seemed disconnected from the space we’ve been in. At the same time, we noticed the a great potential in the unique history of the town, it’s architecture and living traditions. Our project aims to create a tool for telling these stories in a more structured and engaging way.
How
An important part of the process was gaining knowledge about the town - mainly through multiple interviews with the tour guides and locals. This knowledge allowed us to create a structure for presenting all themes of Christiansfeld. The box introduces both the tangible (crafts, architecture) and intangible (history, values, traditions) aspects of the town. It plays with atmospheres of mystery and surprise and encorages visitors to interact with each other and with the space around them.
