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Archi
Défi
750 downloads in 17 days. An institutional architectural collection turned into an urban AR quest across UNESCO-listed Strasbourg.
An AR adventure across
UNESCO-listed Strasbourg
For the European Heritage Days 2024, DRAC Grand Est — France's regional cultural heritage authority — commissioned BavAR[t] to create a gamified AR quest showcasing the architectural heritage of Strasbourg and the Eurometropolis. An institutional collection, rarely accessible to the general public, was transformed into an engaging urban experience for families, tourists, and residents across a UNESCO World Heritage city.
The challenge: DRAC Grand Est held a rich architectural archive largely unknown to the public. How could institutional documents become a compelling street experience for all audiences?
BavAR[t]'s answer: a gamified quest deployed across Strasbourg — geolocated points of interest, AR animations overlaid on monuments, cultural challenges, and VIP rewards to unlock.
The outcome: 750 downloads in 17 days, with zero marketing spend. Exceptional engagement driven by gameplay mechanics and the richness of Strasbourg's architectural heritage.
One of Europe's finest architectural cities, Strasbourg's UNESCO-listed historic centre — Grande-Île, Neustadt, Alsatian timber-frames — provides the perfect canvas for AR heritage experiences.
Real numbers,
in 17 days
From institutional archive
to urban experience
DRAC Grand Est contributed its architectural archives: photographs, historical surveys, and iconographic documents covering monuments across Strasbourg and the Eurometropolis.
BavAR[t] crafted the narrative framework: monument selection, point-of-interest scripting, cultural challenge design, and a VIP reward system calibrated to sustain engagement throughout the route.
Archives were integrated as augmented reality via BavAR[t]'s 3D Sheet technology — historical documents animate as overlays on the real monuments, visible directly on the visitor's smartphone.
The experience launched during the European Heritage Days 2024 — one of Europe's largest cultural events. The result: immediate organic adoption, without any paid campaign.
Automated reporting: visitor flow by monument, AR captures, completion rates, rewards distributed. Concrete data to justify renewal and build future funding applications.
An institutional archive
can go viral
Archi Défi proves that even a specialist archive — with no prior public profile — can generate massive engagement when deployed in the right format, at the right moment, on the right territory. Gamification doesn't compromise institutional rigour: it makes it accessible.
"750 downloads in 17 days with zero marketing spend. That's the power of combining the right narrative architecture, the right territory, and the right event timing."
A heritage event ready
for an AR experience?
Heritage Days, cultural festivals, municipal events — BavAR[t] designs engaging immersive experiences built around your collections.
