The Design Museum has teamed up with Snapchat and architect Mariam Issoufou Kamara to reveal the effects of climate change on the building’s exterior via augmented reality (AR).
Designed by Kamara alongside Snapchat developer Snap Inc., the Landmarker project uses AR to reimagine the Design Museum in London in apocalyptic conditions.
“For an architect whose practice is in a desert country like Niger, the effects of the climate crisis are already all around us through increased droughts, floods, and even climate refugees,” Kamara said.
“This collaboration with the Design Museum and Snap really allowed me to explore a future where the climate has changed drastically, a new normal if you will.”
“I wanted to use the facade of the Design Museum to explore how the built environment might respond to harsh conditions, and how we could perhaps put buildings to use in order to serve new needs under extreme conditions,” she added.
Design Museum in apocalyptic conditions
Visitors and passers-by can use Snap’s AR technology to see the impact of extreme weather due to climate change. The project demonstrates how buildings can be adapted and repurposed.
“Sometimes, seeing is believing,” said Will Scougal, international head of creative strategy at Snap. “This is another example of how Snap can use its augmented reality platform to tell really important stories.”
“Climate change is the defining issue of our generation and this Lens brings what can feel like something distant, closer to home, making it harder to ignore,” Scougal added.
Elsewhere, Adobe partnered with the Smithsonian and Hydrous to create an interactive AR exhibit for smartphones that brings the oceans to life and highlights the importance of marine habitats in the fight against climate change.
“The imaginative re-use of existing structures needs to be at the heart of a climate-conscious architecture,” said Justin McGuirk, chief curator at the Design Museum.
“And since augmented reality is such an engaging way of reimagining buildings, we are delighted to be partnering with Snap and Mariam Kamara to explore how our own home might be adapted in the future.”
Images: Design Museum
