Project

Echoes Unlocked is a project focused on the revitalization of cultural heritage in rural and underrepresented areas through youth engagement, immersive technologies, and community-based storytelling. The goal was to connect young people with local history and identity while equipping them with practical digital skills and tools to create new, tech-driven tourism experiences.

Our agency was brought on board as the technology partner, responsible for developing the project’s digital infrastructure, including the mobile application, augmented reality content, and interactive installations.

Project Objectives

• Enable youth in small communities to collect, curate, and present local heritage in innovative formats

• Use digital tools to make lesser-known cultural sites more engaging and accessible to visitors

• Support sustainable tourism strategies through community-created content and low-cost tech solutions

Our Deliverables

We provided end-to-end technical development, UX design, and content integration services for the following components:

1. Echoes Mobile App (iOS & Android)

• Core Features:

  • Location-based storytelling with GPS-triggered content

  • Augmented Reality overlays for murals and historic sites

  • Audio walk functionality with curated, user-generated soundscapes

  • Offline mode for use in low-connectivity regions

2. EchoStation Booths

• Modular, portable story collection booths installed in partner communities

• Solar-powered and designed for outdoor use, each booth featured a touchscreen, microphone, and local language interface

• Connected directly to the Echoes database, enabling real-time uploads and review of community-submitted stories

3. Content Management System (CMS)

• Developed a secure, multilingual backend for project partners and youth contributors to:

  • Upload and manage AR content, images, and audio recordings

  • Tag stories by theme, location, and contributor

  • Moderate submissions before they appear in the app

4. Analytics Dashboard

• Provided each local partner with a web-based dashboard to track:

  • App usage and heatmaps of most visited AR points

  • Engagement rates with audio and visual content

  • Visitor trends and multilingual access breakdowns

Key Results

• 120+ youth trained in digital storytelling, AR content creation, and app-based tourism design

• 300+ original stories and recordings collected and published through the Echoes platform

• 6 rural towns in 5 countries connected through a shared digital infrastructure

• Murals and public spaces transformed into interactive storytelling hubs

• Increased local tourism and cultural visibility, particularly among younger audiences

Our approach prioritized:

• Accessibility – Mobile-first design, multilingual interfaces, offline features

• Scalability – A platform architecture that can be replicated in new locations with minimal technical onboarding

• Sustainability – Training modules and documentation provided to ensure long-term use by local communities