Digital agency builds a better city experience

Birmingham’s architecture is being showcased to city centre visitors through a new iPhone app that allows its users to access background information, imagery and guided tour routes of interesting landmarks whilst on the move.
BAApp: Walking Architecture, an iPhone app from the Birmingham Architectural Association (BAA), was created by digital media and design agency Substrakt, and utilises location-based technology to provide users with detailed information about particular buildings as they move through the city.
Andy Hartwell, managing director at Substrakt, said: “It was really important to create an application that appealed to both users who are interested in architecture, and the general public who either may have an interest in the buildings that they interact with on a day-to-day basis, or who are visiting and keen to learn more about their surroundings.
“BAApp: Walking Architecture is free to download and contains themed walking tours, such as a historical walk around some of Birmingham’s oldest buildings, providing users with an enjoyable, low-cost activity to participate in when visiting the city centre”.
Substrakt has also designed a website to accompany the app which allows users to easily create their own walking tours that can then be shared across social networking sites.
Gavin Orton, president of the Birmingham Architectural Association, said: “It is important for us to reach new audiences in Birmingham which is why we were keen to work with Substrakt. The team is based locally and has a proven track record of working with location-based applications in an innovative and exciting way that will appeal to lots of different types of people.”
The app was created in partnership between the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the Birmingham Architectural Association and the Birmingham Five Counties Architectural Association (BFCAA).
For more information about the services that Substrakt offer, please visit their website.