BAMPFA AR explores new modes of narrative and storytelling using augmented reality as a medium. The project tells the story behind the new BAMPFA building from its inauguration in 1940 as the university printing press, to an abandoned structure covered with graffiti by local artists, to a contemporary museum redesigned by the New York–based design firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro. An augmented timeline allows the user to navigate through time, following the history of the construction of the new museum. The AR experience further renders visible hidden narratives such as the building’s role during World War II, architectural concepts behind its design, and the workers who brought the new building into reality.
The project overlays multimodal digital media over physical artifacts, including a large-scale model acting as an augmented reality canvas, and activating the interior building fabric to unveil the passage of time through space. BAMPFA AR—Augmented Time explores the potential of AR as a device to store the past and a platform to reveal the present, a living record that embodies the built space in its continuing collection of events and narratives.
Developed by the UC Berkeley XR Lab
Please note that access to BAMPFA AR is unavailable Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings, generally until 1 p.m. The project is also closed during special events and lectures.