Metro Ar-T

Created UX for a digital art exhibition that shows interactive artworks when you capture metrocard on your phone through augumented reality technology.

Download app here
Company

Side project

Year

2014

Role
Concept, UX, Sitemap, Wireframe
Collaborated with artists and technologist in New York City
Recognition

FWA * App of the day
PSFK
Trend Hunter

Concept

More than five million people use MetroCards each day in New York City. Subway is a big part of New Yorker's everyday life and many people have love-hate relationship with it. Selected artists were asked to pick their favorite New York City Subway line and submit their artworks.
The Metro AR-T project features the work of New York City artists on a medium that has never been explored before: a MetroCard. With the Metro AR-T app, any MetroCard can transform into a digitally interactive gallery with the help of innovative augmented reality technology.

Design process

One of my colleague was playing with the recent augumented reality technology and was looking to create an art exhibit platform with it. I brainstormed on multiple ideas and came out with an idea of using Metrocard as a medium. I thought Metrocard is approachable in that every new yorkers carry, visually attractive, and provocative for artist to generate art. Collaborating with highly talanted professionals was really fun and also a great learning experience.
Design principle
  • Consider context of users in real life.
    For example, people will be holding phone in one hand, and the metrocard on the other. How should UX/UI reflect these behavior?
  • Don't distact viewers from focusing on artworks.
    Make it simple and clean by creating least depth of interactions, and least buttons while making interactions intuitive.
Tools used

Adobe illustrator

My takeaways

  • Playing with recent technology is a great way to get motivated.
  • Being surrounded by creative professionals and to become part of them is an amazing experience.