Immersive Storytelling tools for Kirkstall Abbey

Project partners: Immersive Networks, Kirkstall Abbey

XR Stories is supporting Immersive Networks, a collective of artists, technologists, scientists and storytellers, to create a new cross-genre form of mobile app for visitors to Kirkstall Abbey.

The project will bring together location-based exploration, augmented reality and immersive, spatialised audio to encourage exploration and play, focusing on diverse and underserved audience groups.

The experience aims to provide a rich and embedded narrative, enabling visitors to interact with the site in a completely new way. The abbey, a former Cistercian monastery, will be brought to life through a vibrant, animated and educationally rich soundscape of stories. 

Augmented reality and spatialised audio technologies will enable visitors to follow travellers making their way alongside their horse and cart, debating issues of the time. Monks will share hushed and revealing conversations that can only be overheard through careful exploration of the site. Activities, such as cooking, gardening and prayer will be audible in relevant locations, enabling visitors to imagine everyday life within the abbey.

The project will include an inclusive design process to explore how to maximise accessibility to the heritage site using immersive and interactive technology.

Immersive Storytelling Tools for Kirkstall Abbey is one of four projects awarded R&D funding and expertise from the OpenXR 2 funding call. 

Categories: Research, Technology