Storytelling in 3D

Team Name

HyperSphere

Team Members

Project Description

My project raises awareness about Queensland's immigration history by using a large, rotating electronic globe to show people how Queensland was settled between 1848 and 1912.

The globe begins at 1848 and shows the trajectories of immigrant ships arriving in Australia between 1848 and 1912. It then shows current immigration patterns by showing the trajectories of aircraft.

Finally, a large wall is built around the globe that will contain photos from 1848-1912, and people will be able to compare them with modern-day photos by using a slider.

Data Story

The main dataset I've used is the Assisted immigration 1848 to 1912 dataset, which contains the age, ship and arrival date of immigrants who arrived in Australia during this period. By combining this data about the ships' origins, the trajectories of ships arriving in Australia can be plotted on a globe, which can help people visualise how Queensland was settled, and from which countries those immigrants came. The main reason I chose this dataset is that it contains a large number of people and was collected over a long period of time, thereby allowing the globe to run for several minutes without running out of material.

The other important dataset I've used is the collection of photos from the Queensland State Archives, which will allow people to visualise what life was like for these early immigrants, and compare it to their own. This is achieved by putting the photos on a wall surrounding the globe, and allowing people to compare the photos with modern ones by moving a slider. Ideally, both photos would be of the same object, to make the comparisons easier. The main reason I chose this dataset is because it's the most comprehensive collection of historic Queensland photos available.

When these two datasets are combined with historic ship data, they tell a compelling story about how Queensland was settled and what life was like for these early settlers. The story begins with the immigrants leaving their home countries, sailing from one side of the world to the other, and arriving in Queensland. Once they get to Queensland, they start a brand new life, which is very different to today's immigrants. Hence, the story ends by showing the trajectories of modern-day aircraft arriving in Australia, carrying the next generation of immigrants.