A digital-meets-outdoor adventure playground that encourages Kiwi tamariki to explore the natural world.
Unsworthers came to fruition in response to a brief that asked students to identify and address a local issue within Tamaki Mākaurau. I focused on Unsworth Heights, a quiet and peaceful suburb, yet with a unique problem.
Through contextual research and on-site interviews, I noticed a recurring pattern. Despite Unsworth Heights being home to many young families, there is a significant lack of meaningful community interaction. Many residents keep to themselves, and even at community spaces like Unsworth Reserve, the majority of visitors were from outside the area. This suggested that local families weren't engaging with shared spaces or with one another.
Young families in Unsworth Heights face limited opportunities to connect with one another, despite living in a peaceful and family-oriented suburb.
Though the area offers communal green spaces like Unsworth Reserve, many residents remain socially distanced, with minimal interaction beyond immediate family. Interviews and observations revealed that most park visitors are not local residents, highlighting a lack of neighbourhood engagement.
This disconnect is further reinforced by the private lifestyles of families, making it difficult to foster meaningful community relationships, especially among children and their parents.
An app that encourages children to come to visit and explore the Unsworth Reserve using a pair of special camera binoculars, ‘Worthoculars.’ The app’s primary function was for outdoor exploration and serving an educational benefit with its interface.
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