CityKey
(2024)
Concept + Product/UX/UI Design
The "CityKey" concept and app design was done in 2024, through a university class with Prof. Peter von Maydell.
CityKey allows users to immerse themselves in Bremen or Riga without having to travel. Using their phone, users can open portals they can look through to find out what another city looks and feels like, meanwhile also exploring the city they're physically in. Based on the wide range of similarities and connections between the two cities, the app involves Bremers to feel like they're traveling and exploring Riga, and Rigans to do the same in Bremen, all while walking around in real space.
The old towns of Bremen, Germany and Riga, Latvia share many uncanny resemblances, and at times travelers from one city may feel a connection like never before, as it may feel like home, yet different. The history and statistics are also closely shared between the cities, as they remain connected with the Sister City status since 1985. Despite all this, travel options between the cities remain underwhelming, and it is not straightforward for residents to be able to visit each other. To ensure that Bremers and Rigans are still able to explore the close similarities and fascinating differences, I created the concept for an app.
“We recognize a lot of things that are very similar to Bremen. That is really something special.” Named as an example the Three Brothers buildings – the oldest medieval dwelling houses in Riga. “The inner courtyard looks like the Schnoor in Bremen. These houses look exactly like there“
-Antje Grotheer, Bremen parliament speaker
(LSM: Rīga and Bremen talk up their twin hopes for the
future)
My initial concept was a physical map— a "morphed map", which combined the layouts of Riga and Bremen into one unified map, that could be used to navigate both old towns. During its testing I concluded it would be best to expand the idea into a digital horizon, eventually settling on an app concept.
After consulting potential users and testing ideas, I settled on creating an interactive app where users interact with a program that provides an alternative to travel. Whether it is too expensive or time-consuming, not everyone can always afford to travel. To combat this, I devised a concept, where users from Bremen and Riga could feel like they're traveling, simultaneously exploring their own real-life surroundings as well.
Users use the map of the opposite city to navigate the city they're physically based in, which allows them to learn about the closely alike road layouts and related street names as they explore. Due to the analogous layouts of both cities' old towns, this is possible. Once they reach places of interest, users can unlock portals - 360 degree looks into another city, perfectly proportional to where they stand. Users can observe how buildings around a similar statue may be alike, or how cities at such spots have developed differently. These portals can only be unlocked and explored when present at a specific place, which incentivises exploration through walking.
Users can select whether they want to explore on their own, or use existing guided tours.
Through the choices of freely exploring and finding portals on their own, users can also use pre-made tours to travel in a pre-determined, yet still free way. The goal is to reinvent exploring a new city, and to make it accessible to those who cannot physically travel, but still want to be able to feel the spirit of travel and physical experience of exploring somewhere new. Through the use of a new map along with 360 degree portals to navigate, anyone can come into contact with the most important feeling in a new place, the space around them.
Overall, CityKey currently remains a concept. I am, however, open to having it developed in the future, and the concept released to other cities as well. The idea is completely adaptable to more than just Bremen and Riga, and could serve as a productive digital travel campaign in the future.