Habitare expands into augmented reality – the first virtual home design collection to be on display at Messukeskus
Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre continues to bring augmented reality to its events. The designer Laura Väinölä will, in her Habitare exhibition design, break through the boundaries of everyday reality using the Arilyn augmented-reality application. Habitare will be held at Messukeskus in Helsinki from 11 to 15 September 2019.
In the forthcoming Habitare, not all that you see can be touched. This is because, for the first time, the Habitare exhibition design will also take advantage of augmented reality (AR). The exhibition design will be by the designer Laura Väinölä, who will offer her take on the Habitare theme of Mindspaces. Väinölä’s design moves between the material and the intangible, as well as between the real and the imaginary.
The real, tangible design will be made up of a rich curtain installation surrounding the Arena stage, which is at the centre of the Habitare events. The virtual dimension of the design will, in turn, open up through augmented reality. Väinölä, who is inspired by the work of the surrealist René Magritte, will bring to Habitare the first virtual home design collection, in which familiar elements of the home are transported into an unrealistic, even magical and dreamlike realm. “Augmented reality offers an opportunity for visual play and feasting on design. If there is a carpet in the space, it is a flying carpet. You may also be able to see a virtual cloud floating inside Messukeskus”, Väinölä reveals.
You can access this experience by downloading the free Arilyn application on your phone and using it to scan the environment. The Arilyn application, which is also being used at the Amos Rex art museum, enables you to perceive things in the environment that are not visible to the naked eye. The app, known as Arilyn, also works with a virtual reality headset.
Messukeskus continues the innovative use of AR in its events
Messukeskus is a pioneer in using augmented reality in the event industry. Finland’s first commercial AR application intended for public use in large venues was launched at the 2017 Matka Nordic Travel Fair, and the innovation attracted international attention.
“We will continue to bring AR to Messukeskus events, because augmented reality is a huge opportunity to enrich the visitor experience. In the near future, we will be presenting augmented-reality solutions for our customers to use at fair stands and to promote their visibility at events”, says the marketing and communications director at Messukeskus, Maria Mroue.
AR integrates 3D animations, graphics and text into the event environment, seamlessly adding a layer of digital content. Augmented reality became known to the public at large with the explosive popularity of the Pokemon Go game.
Laura Väinölä will discuss her exhibition design, entitled The Shades, on the Arena stage on Wednesday 11 September, at noon. The partners behind the exhibition design are Arilyn, Bolon and Svensson. The theme of Mindspaces has been conceived for Habitare by the trend expert Antti Rimminen from Urban View, and the culture and fashion reporter Mia Dillemuth.
The entire Habitare programme has been published on the event website at www.habitare.fi.
More information:
Messukeskus, communications manager Eva Kiviranta, tel. +358 40 7756609, eva.kiviranta@messukeskus.com
Media bank: https://mediabank.messukeskus.com/kuvat/Habitare/
Habitare
Habitare, the largest furniture, design and interior decoration event in Finland, will be held at Messukeskus in Helsinki, from 11 to 15 September 2019. Habitare offers experiences and ideas on interior decoration, and on the functioning and look of homes and other spaces. Habitare highlights the ideas and works by a new generation of designers, and sparks discussion. The International Friend of Habitare in 2019 is Alberto Alessi. To be held concurrently with Habitare is the Hifi event. | www.habitare.fi | @HabitareFair | www.facebook.com/habitare | #habitare2019