I Spy Tohu is an interactive AR experience designed to help tamariki connect with Kupe’s journey through play and discovery.
Year
2025
Team
Claudia Mitchel, Painton Haines, Zoe Frost
Skills
Brand identity, graphics/illustration, Print, Storytelling, User Experience
BRA
STRY
UX
Context
MOTAT’s Te Āniwaniwa Poutū, or The Upright Rainbow, is an interactive light and colour exhibit where tamariki can explore a column of light resembling an upright rainbow. The exhibit connects to the story of Kupe, who is said to have seen an upright rainbow before discovering Aotearoa. While the installation did offer a playful experience, its connection to Kupe’s journey felt underdeveloped for a story so significant to Aotearoa’s history.
Problem
The installation, while visually engaging for a moment, struggled to hold tamariki’s attention long enough for learning to happen. Many children were not staying with the exhibit or leaving with a clear understanding of Kupe’s story. This created an opportunity for MOTAT to enhance the installation, creating a more hands on storytelling experience that builds curiosity and discovery in young tamariki.
Process
The process of creating the I Spy Tohu experience explored how kinesthetic learning could engage the minds of tamariki by making them learn through touch and play. Rounds of user testing on our audience inside MOTAT helped to adjust the project based on feedback and observations, in order to better refine the experience.
This was my first project that was focused on a younger demographic as the primary audience, which became a valuable challenge in how we approached the storytelling and visual style of the project. It pushed me to find ways to empathise with an audience that I wasn’t used to targeting. With a story as impactful as Kupe's it was crucial that the story was conveyed as easily as possible.
Outcome
I spy Tohu is a gamified interactive AR experience where Young Tamariki’s observational skills are tested by placing them in the footsteps of Kupe the great navigator. Kids search through layered 2D scenery, looking for the iconic tohu that guided Kupe on his journey and collecting them as they go.
Each step in Kupe’s journey uses a monochromatic colour scheme linked to one of the seven colours of the rainbow, helping each tohu and scene feel distinct while still connecting the experience back to Te Āniwaniwa Poutū. A small hint is placed at the bottom of each wall vinyl, guiding tamariki toward the tohu they need to find when scanning the artwork with their device.
Once tamariki complete the event and find all 7 tohu before the upright rainbow, they are awarded the expert navigator badge, a sign of courage, determination and commitment. They are also able to get an explorers journal to record and document the many more journeys they go on.
Impact
I Spy Tohu positions tamariki as kaitiaki of Kupe’s story by inviting them to actively discover, understand, and carry his journey forward. Through searching for the tohu that guided Kupe, children are encouraged to care for this story in a way that feels memorable, and personal. It aims to encourage a new generation of navigators and explorers in Aotearoa whether it be literally or metaphorically.