Augmented agency of place. AR content and the relations of power

Keywords: Agency, augmented reality, AR, urban planning
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Friday
Session Start / End Time: 2/25/2022 05:20 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/25/2022 06:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 28

Abstract

Augmented reality technology can be used to overlay digital content on the material space. While the current range of uses is somewhat limited it is slowly finding its place into mainstream. It is most popular in gaming, marketing and expert domains like urban planning. Adding digital content to a specific location, that can be accessed using appropriate software is changing the meaning of a given place for a certain group of people that are capable of accessing it – a well known example are Pokestops in Pokemon GO game. However, I propose here that AR can be also seen from the perspective of an agency it is giving to an already existing place. AR content quite literally represent the possibility for a place to have its own voice represented through various modalities provided by the software. When we are experiencing augmented place we are faced with meanings that are no longer hidden. AR content have the possibility to change the power relations between environment and people – by for example removing the control over accepted meanings of place in places that are pubic or even private. Augmented places can therefore take part in contestation and subversion of human spatial practices. To explore this a popular media discourse on AR has been analyzed in search for common themes relating to the way power is given to place through AR technology.