The CityLife Shopping District — opened at the end of last year — is the largest commercial area in Italy and one of Europe’s most extensive. It was designed by the famous Zaha Hadid Architects Studio and provides shoppers with a innovative shopping experience and environment.
This summer, it is tapping into the power of kid request and family experiences to attract shoppers during the summer (back-to-school shopping) months, when Italians typically empty towns to go on holiday. From July through mid September, when schools will re-open, the shopping district will be offering kids and their families the possibility to discover and interact with endangered species through National Geographic Photo Ark. It is an exhibition by the National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore that allows shoppers to experience the lives of endangered species. The experience is robust and interactive, giving shoppers a reason to come shopping and have some summer fun while they do it.
The Photo Ark is an augmented reality system that allows families and kids (and also Integer employees on lunch break) the chance to interact with the animals through AR. The augmented reality show is called Air, Land & Sea and allows shoppers to meet many different wild animals. The AR experience is still quite new in Italy, and this opportunity is attracting many visitors—the first weekend alone has seen the participation of 48,000 people.