Fresh From The Field: Art Aquarium — By Method
Glide into the design detail of Art Aquarium — an awe-inspiring experience created by the bright minds at Method.
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The brief
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium once featured a tactile experience where children could colour in a picture of a fish, scan it and see it appear in a projected underwater world. Although the experience remained popular with kids, it was outdated and faced ongoing maintenance challenges.
So, Kelly Tarlton’s enlisted Method, a creative technology studio to modernise the experience.
Tasked with making the experience seamless, reliable and easy to maintain, as well as incorporating a stronger local identity to connect with the cultural and environmental context of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Method swam into action to design Art Aquarium.
The Design Response
Method’s design approach focused on creating an engaging and educational experience that not only met the technical and creative challenges, but also enhanced the connection between local audiences and the unique marine environment of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.
They approached the project with the goal of delivering a joyful and memorable experience for kids and families. Central to the immersive experience is an underwater world that allows children to interact with and learn about the local marine ecosystem in a fun and engaging way. By incorporating educational elements about sea creatures from the Hauraki Gulf, the designers aligned with Kelly Tarlton’s educational mission.
When visiting with whānau or as part of a school group, children can see their creations come to life in one digital space to create shared enjoyment.
Much like Method’s earlier work – the Secret World of Butterflies experience at Auckland Museum –the challenge was to strike the right balance between a high-tech experience and the tactile nature of play. The end result is a connection between kids’ creations and their appearance in the dynamic, digital world.
Method created a dynamism within the Art Aquarium’s pre-determined world, where a digital ecosystem effectively holds and manages numerous customised creations, background art and additional creature animation. Hero creatures navigate expertly along programmed paths to allow a mix of sea life to swim on screen and, at the same time, avoid collisions and ‘dead’ areas.
Art Aquarium is a uniquely Aotearoa-centric experience for kids and whānau to enjoy at one of Tāmaki Makaurau’s most iconic attractions. Method is extremely proud to have created a legacy experience that will delight Kelly Tarlton’s visitors for years to come.
The Design Team
Creative Director, Producer – Sam Ramlu
Art/Animation – Lahiru De Silva
Designer – Sophie Douglas
Developer – Mitch Duncan
https://www.method.digital
https://www.instagram.com/method.aotearoa/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/469849/admin/dashboard/
https://twitter.com/methodnz
https://www.facebook.com/MethodStudiosNZ/
Client details
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium
https://www.facebook.com/SEALIFEKellyTarltons/
https://www.instagram.com/sealifekellytarltons/
https://www.visitsealife.com/auckland/
