Getting Closer to Nature - Experiential Graphic Design

This project reimagines the Niagara Glen Nature Centre as an immersive educational space using Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and interactive web design. It blends experiential wayfinding with digital storytelling to help visitors explore the region’s rich history, biology, and geology at their own pace. By combining physical signage, interior environmental design, and digital interfaces, this concept improves accessibility, enhances learning, and deepens emotional connection to nature. It also demonstrates my graphic design strengths in user-centered thinking, spatial design, branding consistency, and designing across physical and digital platforms.

Interior Tour Space (Nature Centre)
A closer look at the redesigned Nature Centre interior, featuring hands-on displays, pictures and infographics, guides, natural materials, and a dedicated VR area for guests of all abilities.

Trail Signage Design
Overview and close-up of signage that guides users through the AR tour. Durable outdoor materials are paired with a minimal, modern design that blends into the environment while remaining legible.

AR in Use: Scanning for Animation
Visitors scan QR codes placed along the trails to trigger Augmented Reality animations on their device. These overlays provide engaging visuals related to the site’s history, wildlife, or geology, layered directly over the natural environment.

Wayfinding Map in App
The mobile app includes a built-in trail map with AR checkpoints marked along the route. Users can follow their progress, learn about each stop, and navigate the experience at their own pace with optional audio or text guidance.

Virtual Tour Experience
The interactive web tour brings the Niagara Glen to life for remote visitors, offering immersive visuals and educational content accessible from anywhere in the world.

Map-Based Navigation
Users explore the virtual space through an interactive trail map, clicking on marked points to learn about the Glen’s geology, wildlife, and history at their own pace.

Future Potential & Impact

While this project is focused on the Niagara Glen, the concept could easily expand to other Niagara Parks and protected spaces like the Botanical Gardens, Dufferin Islands, and Queenston Heights: each with their own rich history and ecology. Partnering with organizations like Ontario Parks, local Indigenous education groups, and accessibility advocates could elevate both reach and inclusivity. Long-term, this platform could evolve to include user-generated stories, seasonal AR updates, gamification features, and multilingual content, turning nature education into an ever-growing, collaborative experience.

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