Virginia Álvarez is 25 years old and is about to complete her bachelor's degree in Multimedia Design. While working at the usability firm Concreta, she uses her free time to focus on Integrative Project.
“It’s going great. Although it’s a bit challenging to pull off in such a short time, everything is going according to plan,” he told In situ.
At Concreta, he handles graphic design, web-related tasks (such as layout, design, and programming), animations—some of which are generated automatically through dynamic code—logos, banners, and everything else related to design and its various digital platforms and media.
“Multimedia design is everything. You could do this kind of work with knowledge of communication, design, web development, user interaction, programming, or animation; but if someone has expertise in all these areas, the results are more balanced and thoughtful,” he says. “Besides, in the projects the company works on, we always rely on multidisciplinary teams, and having a background in multimedia gives me a special role—as a connector or ‘wild card’—allowing me to handle a variety of tasks in different contexts.”
As part of the Integrative Project, he is working with the Museum of Art History (MuHAr) to develop an app for Android tablets. The idea is for the museum to provide each visitor with a tablet so they can become “users”: “interacting with art history through the mobile device and receiving instant feedback.”
“It’s an interface that works by identifying different pieces through patterns assigned to them; the device detects them with the camera, and the information corresponding to the piece appears instantly,” explained Álvarez. “This information is presented through text, images, videos, maps, models, and 3D pieces. The goal is to dynamically generate greater interest in culture among the Uruguayan (and also foreign) public, making the visit a repeatable experience and, in turn, one that complements the visit rather than replaces it.”
According to the designer, the intention of the MuHAr is for this project to be implemented, “but it depends on the budget that can be allocated to it,” she clarified. “The idea from the outset was to apply it to all museums under the jurisdiction of the Montevideo City Government; we had to choose one to carry out the project, and the MuHAr was the one with the greatest need when it came to promoting or publicizing the museum.”