The District Six Experience
The District Six Experience: A Walk Through Time
A VR experience brought to you by the District Six Museum, The
Academy of Digital Arts and Loud Rabbits.
Loud Rabbits Agency and the Friends of Design – Academy of Digital Arts Game Course Alum, in partnership and close collaboration with District Six Museum, is set to unveil a groundbreaking virtual reality (VR) experience in 2024, commemorating the museum’s 30th anniversary.
The virtual experience invites users to immerse themselves in and experience parts of District Six. Its purpose is to express South African history and connect to legacy through a new lens using cutting-edge game technology.
The Loud Rabbits and The Academy of Digital Arts Game Course Alum began working on this project in February and have collaborated closely with the District Six Museum. Critical stakeholders to this collaboration include former residents of District Six.
Driven by the newly-appointed director Zeenat Patel-Kaskar, all archival media is generously provided by the archival team whose expertise allows meticulous attention to detail that ensures an authentic and respectful portrayal of District Six’s history and legacy.
She explains: “Crucial to the work that we do in curating memories of the past, is the need to respond to a world that is fast replacing tangible experiences with virtual ones. With the potential to present some challenges for an institution such as ourselves, we embrace the onset of virtual reality through theDistrict Six Museum’s position as an evolving institution that emphasises progress. Any innovation must be produced sensitively, which we believe we have achieved after receiving the endorsement from our cohort of former District Six residents. We now have a contemporary immersive opportunity that invites people to experience parts of District Six. Our preservation of District Six memory can exist digitally too and we hope to attract the youth whose tech savviness will find enjoyment here
Says sound archivist Dean Jates “My profound sense of curiosity in learning about virtual reality bore significance in this collaboration. I want to inspire the next generation which I believe this project offers.”
Led by the Game Graphics & Multimedia Entertainment course’s founder and Friends of Design’s GDoutsourcing’s technical consultant and industry contact, Lars Espeter, known for 30 years of working in the game industry and enjoyed previous successes in game technology student projects – this collaboration underscores The Academy of Digital Arts’ (ADA)commitment to preparing industry-ready graduates after the first year of studies. ADA’s alumni will be involved in the design, development and implementation of the project
Says Lars Espeter “The District Six Museum project is an incredible opportunity for The Academy of Digital Arts’ game development students and alum. Not only will they be able to add an innovative and unique interactive media project to their CVs after only one year of studying, but they can also prove thatSouth African interactive media and game developers area absolutely ready to compete on the international market. For meas the contact point at GDoutsourcing for international clients that are looking for young talents this is a great help making sure that international companies are more open to hire theAcademy’s Alumni. I cannot thank the District Six Museum enough for their support and open-mindedness.”
This partnership not only showcases student talent but also offers a platform for meaningful contribution to the District Six Museum’s historical narrative. April 2024 will see the project’s first test with former District Six residents, a pivotal moment before the anticipated May 2024 launch.
The District Six Experience: A Walk Through Time,
A VR experience brought to you by the District Six Museum, The Academy of Digital Arts, and Loud Rabbits, celebrating 30 years and beyond, is set to debut at an exclusive event on May 4th 2024.
Stay in touch while Loud Rabbits Agency, ADA Game Course Alum, and District Six Museum establish a new way to experience history, merging past and future through innovative VR technology.
For media inquiries, please contact:
District Six Museum:
Chantal Porthen (office administrator / reception
(021) 466 7200
reception@districtsix.co.za
Or Dean Jates (sound archivist)
(021) 466 7200
dean@districtsix.co.za
Social Media links
District Six website
Facebook
Instagram
Loud Rabbits Agency / The Academy of Digital Arts:
Erin Kemper (Head of Design | Digital Marketing and Content
Creation)
erin@loudrabbits.co.za
Social Media Links