This Edible Map project diverged from my usual practice and also explored how Virtual Reality (VR) can boost engagement in community projects like urban agriculture. In collaboration with the University of Brighton VR was used to create a “virtual walk” in Brighton, where participants could examine potential sites for urban farming. This was combined with a more traditional in-person “Map Walks,” where community members walk through spaces and share ideas for green spaces or gardens. By introducing VR, the research aimed to explore to relationship between emerging interactive technologies and more analogue approaches. The study concludes that VR can enhance community involvement and potentially pave the way for future digital tools in urban design.
A full paper on the subject, entitled ” Enhancing User Experience through VR: Case of an Urban Agriculture Participatory Design Experiment ” is available to read at the University of Brighton website.
Edible Map of Brighton, 2022.
Participants on the Edible Map walk.
Participants on the Edible Map walk.
Workshops held to discuss the Edible Map of Brighton and the walk.
Testing the VR version of the Edible Map, at the University of Brighton.