Immersive Tour at Umeå’s Prison Hotel

Abstract: The overall purpose of this project is to develop an immersive storytelling experience that connects with both physical and social environment. To be specific, it focuses on the old prison in Umeå which was closed in 1981 and nowadays serves as a hotel. There are abundant historical materials related to the old prison preserved, and how might we transform such textual, historical information into relatively interactive experience. By collaborating with Hotell Gamla Fängelset ( Umeå’s Prison Hotel ), the result turns out to be an application in combination with augmented reality (AR), to build a guided tour that brings history to life at Umeå’s Prison Hotel. The tour not only demonstrates the plight of the prisoners, but also showcases the reform to humanized treatment over time, at the end linking back to the cozy hotel where the guests are staying. After users experience the tour application, it stimulates people’s imagination of the prisoners’ story and raises their awareness towards the cultural heritage that has always been forgotten.