The Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center is a museum and event space that brings to life the first democratically elected president of Russia’s history. Described by the New Yorker as “a remarkable new museum,” the venue aims to tell the truth about Yeltsin’s impact on the 1990s, a time of transition from totalitarianism to democracy.
Apps for Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center
As a part of Lorem Ipsum, Fluger was hired to craft interactive experiences for a vast museum’s exhebition. In a three-year-long effort, Lorem Ipsum team traveled the globe to interview world leaders and gathered footage from over 100 archival sources to create all the media for museum installation.
Challenge:
My role was to ideate and design applications, each of which was a part of an immersive installation and had its own purpose, but the common goal for all apps was to interest and entertain visitors, immersing them in the atmosphere of life of the 90s. I designed 13 apps in total.
Solution:
Apps, that follow simple, game-like scenarios with hyper realistic interfaces full of tappable objects that represent the era of the 90s on post Soviet Union territories. Intuitive and consistent experience, supported by large and high-contrast UI elements allow accessebility for diverse museum audiences.
My role:
I led the design of 13 apps, collaborating with a creative director Aghasi Aghabalyan during the ideation stage. The project involved at least 4 production companies, and was brought to life by Cyan Animatica from Seville, Spain.
The Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center received the Kenneth Hudson Prize at the European Museum of the Year Award ceremony in 2017. It was recognized for its ”impressive exhibition design and extraordinary level of multimedia.“
AV10s1
The main goal of this app was to evoke interest in exploration of digitalized artifacts and materials, supporting various historical events. Total 10 variations of the app were designed. Each object is tappable and opens respecешve media materials, revealing the smallest details of this event.
Cultural Timeline Apps2
These apps tell four stories about how culture developed in Russia in the early 90s, covering literature, music, theatre and cinema. This time was characterized by a strong surge in activity, emergence of current trends and revival of names and works prohibited in Soviet times.
The Freedom Gallery (Video Recording App)3
The Freedom Gallery media program encourages museum visitors to think about the meaning of freedom for each individual person, as well as actively participate in shaping the collective story. Lorem Ipsum team recorded over 50 prominent political and cultural figures and world leaders, including Bill Clinton and Tony Blair, who share their thoughts on freedoms and the legacy of President Yeltsin. The recordings are projected full-length on five columns, each of which stands for a particular constitutional freedom. The essential part of the Freedom Gallery is two video recording booths, where all visitors can create videos with their own statements about freedom. These videos are then featured on the columns, merged with the voices of celebrated public figures.
Radio Recording & Positive Reactions Apps4
The Radio Recording app immerses visitors in the atmosphere of a recording studio of the early 90s. Visitors are given the opportunity to record Boris Yeltsin's speech with their own voice.
Positive Reactions app highlights 8 video interviews, supporting a story of coup against Gorbachev, that sealed the fate of the Soviet Union in 1991.
