They were here.
Jewish Rural Life in South Hesse

In 2016, together with KATZKAISER we planned and realised interactive as well as static digital media for the permanent exhibition of the Hessenpark GmbH. The exhibition, which is displayed in a former synagogue building, informs the visitor about jewish life in the south of Hesse.

On four displays embedded in a table the stories of four different jewish families are told. The individual chapters are accessible chronologically ordered in a main menu. The interaction takes place via buttons integrated into the displays. Pictograms corresponding to the buttons show the user the available interactions at any time.

The interaction concept is inviting and easily accessible to the user. The interface was designed on the basis of the exhibition graphics. It makes use of a learned iconography that is widespread in digital media and thus enables a fast, intuitive orientation. The clear typography optimized for the screen and a balanced ratio of text and images allow the user to easily comprehend the content.

For the projection of an animated map, all required graphics were created automatically on the basis of a database containing location data. The animation visualizes the number and locations of synagogues in Hesse between 1600 and today in different steps and not only gives the visitor a sense of how the number of synagogues has decreased, but also shows how the sites are being used today.

Photography: Norbert Miguletz, Frankfurt
Hardware: ArchimediX, Ober-Ramstadt