Zollverein
by Echoes Labs
location: UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein, Essen, Germany
project type: interactive audio guide and rebuild of client app
client: Zollverein
About
Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site is a huge ex-colliery and coking plant with surrounding area in Essen Germany. Its role in heavy industry in Europe was crucial in the development of industry. Its buildings are outstanding examples of Bauhaus architecture.
audio walk
The Klangtour Kunst, an audio walk specially developed for Zollverein by the artist duo Nadelør, adds a new, fascinating dimension to the art at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein.
Find the fastest way from A to B past the huge halls, over team bridges and on the paths in the Zollverein Park? Quite simply with the Zollverein app. In contrast to other map tools, all locations on the World Heritage site are actually recorded in the app and are always kept up to date.
The 3D map encourages walks to explore Zollverein on your own. Or you can follow the GPS-guided tours to exciting places on Zollverein, including a route specially designed for children.
Historical usage & calendar of events
The app also provides information about the current and historical use of the buildings and facilities. Or you can use the event calendar to view guided tours, exhibitions or events.
Our role
Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site is a huge ex-colliery and coking plant with surrounding area in Essen Germany. They originally commissioned ECHOES to create a system for an audio guide that integrated into their existing app. Creating this was a challenge as every aspect as the app needed to be multilingual, and fit with their existing look and feel as well as functionality.
Technically, there was also the challenge of adding our native gps-triggered audio guide technology alongside an app created using an existing outdated legacy technology. We succeeded in doing this, but Zollverein returned to us to rebuild the entire app using native technologies in order to future proof the app and make it resilient against future upgrades and technologies.
This also extended the reach of the app across a much wider range of operating systems and devices, from an approximate 45% reach up to 88% after the rebuild. This was key to giving visitors a streamlined and seamless experience when visiting the site.
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