We use augmented reality to illustrate and share local stories
Hidden Station
‘Hidden Station’ is an AR exhibition co-created by Zubr and artists Jayde Perkin and David McMillan for Bridgwater Railway Station. The project aimed to engage the diverse communities of Bridgwater, particularly those with limited access to cultural activities.
The main goal was to highlight the station’s historical and cultural significance while fostering a sense of belonging and ownership among residents.
To increase local engagement, David and Jayde gathered anecdotes from Bridgwater residents and regular station users about their connections to the station. They then created illustrations based on these stories, which were transformed into AR filters, allowing visitors to experience local history through their own smart devices.
AR was chosen over other artistic options due to its unique blend of custom illustrations, immersive content, and the accessibility of social media filters, which don’t require additional app downloads.
Try it out at Bridgwater Station by scanning the QR codes on the posters or through Seed Sedgemoor’s Instagram.
Partners
This series of Hidden Station AR artwork interactives was commissioned by Seed Sedgemoor, Severnside Community Rail Partnership, and Great Western Railways. Seed Sedgemoor, a consortium of organisations, aims to bring more creative arts and culture to the community over the next ten years. Severnside Community Rail Partnership fosters community involvement in the railway and supports sustainable, accessible travel and social inclusion. Great Western Railways focuses on providing user-friendly, welcoming stations to promote social inclusion. This project creatively connects people to Bridgwater Station and each other, aligning with these shared goals.
This is our first venture using Augmented Reality and we are so impressed with the playful way it allows people to engage with Bridgwater station. This ambitious exhibition creatively shares stories from the community to other local residents and passengers, creating a deeper connection to the station and enhancing the value it has for everyone passing through.
Faye Keane, Severnside Community Rail Partnership’s Community Development Officer
From train tracks to AR tracking
Bridgwater Railway Station, a Grade-II listed building designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is the second busiest in Somerset, with up to 346,000 passengers annually and typically one train per hour in each direction.
The station has a waiting room on Platform 2 and features various posters, including safety and directional signage.
Planned improvements worth £1.2 million are in progress. During consultations, passengers expressed interest in augmented reality.
Many locals and visitors reported frequent use of smartphones at the station and were intrigued by the idea of interacting with Hidden Station AR artworks, both to pass the time and learn about the station’s history.
In response, a creative collective was commissioned in 2023 to work with the community on site-specific AR artworks for the station.
And that’s where we came in!
Full steam ahead
After an internal kickoff meeting to explore artistic ideas, we decided to draw inspiration from those who know the station best: Bridgwater residents.
We held a series of Hidden Station workshops, inviting locals to share their memories of this landmark. During these sessions, Jayde and Dave discussed ideas, sketched portraits, and documented stories. Each poster features a selected story, accompanied by a brief written context.
Through these encounters, they identified four key themes reflecting the city’s cultural heritage: Hidden Adventures, Hidden Festivities, Hidden History, and Hidden Rebellion.
There are 8 animated AR artworks in total, 2 per theme. Hidden Adventures includes tales of cycling in the Quantocks and spotting the Flying Scotsman. Hidden Festivities covers Bridgwater Carnival and a local Elvis impersonator. Hidden History looks at Queen Victoria’s journey through the town and the station’s WWII connections. Hidden Rebellion explores the town’s response to nuclear waste and climate protests.
Zubr’s 2D asset team brought the illustrations to life with animation, spatial effects, and sound.
The finished AR artworks were launched as Instagram filters. Visitors simply scan the QR code on the relevant poster to access the experience.
From train tracks to AR tracking
The compelling stories are displayed throughout Bridgwater Railway Station on large-scale posters and vinyls. Through the Hidden Station AR artworks, personal devices unlock hidden scenes. Each artwork features unique 2D characters that come to life when viewed through our interactive AR social media filters.
Visitors can enjoy the vibrant physical art installations and then use their phones to reveal the hidden AR elements. The filters are hosted on Seed Sedgemoor’s Instagram, allowing users to explore the AR experience via apps they already have, without the need for a separate download.
The launch event at the station attracted around 40 people eager to try out the new Hidden Station AR artworks. After a speech by Mayor Mick Lerry, attendees explored the station, discovering hidden stories through the AR filters.
Due to the project’s success, we were commissioned to create two additional AR artworks, including posters and interactive filters, which will be exhibited at Somerset Film’s Engine Room and Bridgwater Station’s waiting room.
These additions will be available from Autumn 2023 until the project concludes in March 2024.
