We were tasked to envision a new website for the university platform. Rather than, going for what was out there in the market, we decided to go far beyond the initial brief to lead to a complete rethinking of the current status-quo of what a library is.
- Umeå Universitet
- Education
- Umeå, Sweden
- Team Work (4 members)
- Strategy, UX/UI, Interaction
Why leave from the comforts of your home when all the information you need is literally just a few clicks away?
CHALLENGE.
Empowered by the internet, students and teachers are slowly falling out of love with libraries, not just as the primary destination for information, but also as a social meeting place.
CONCEPT.
We propose a new vision for the library, convinced that this institution still has a pivotal role to play in the future of society. We have designed a system that allows users to interact with information in a fun and unique way, the principles of which we believe can draw the attention of generations to come.
L.A.R.I.
Library Automated Research Interface is an intelligent design screen-based system for Umeå University Library. The University wanted to redo its website to make it more attractive and conceptual for students, PhD students and teachers who are looking for all types of media. Our concept is set in 2020, with the aim of trying to keep people inside the library and promoting a new way of interaction.
PROCESS OUTCOMES.
In addition, we envisioned a place where students interact and share knowledge with each other. Through this project, we have tried to help an institution rethink its current situation and try to create exciting new potential for the education industry and its next generation of students.
Partnership with HUMlabX.
We started by developing models for new search tools that could define libraries in the future. In collaboration with pupils from Lövångers primary school, we then brainstormed ideas about the future of books and started to explore the children’s ideas. We were driven to formulate a search tool that was based on sounds and images, with as little text as possible. The final result yielded an interactive floor created in collaboration with HUMlabX, acting as a listening and speaking touchscreen. Pupils from Lövångers school were encouraged to interact with the prototype (below).
