Narrative Spaces

An Augmented Reality mobile app that augments the oldest hotel in the city of Sulaimani with layers of stories and memories.

Blending storytelling, design, and technology, Narrative Spaces: When Storytelling Meets Design is an Augmented Reality (AR) experience developed as part of our Digital Heritage Internship Program by five talented youth from Sulaimani.

Set in Hotel Farah, the oldest hotel in Sulaimani — now functioning as a museum — this project reimagines the visitor experience by breathing life into its halls through digital storytelling. Through AR, statues and collection pieces come alive, narrating their stories and the significance of their place in the city’s historical timeline.

This immersive layer of narration transforms the hotel into more than just a preserved space — it becomes a living, narrative-rich environment. Visitors are invited to explore heritage not just visually, but through a deeply personal, audio-guided journey that enhances emotional connection and cultural appreciation.

To dive into this experience: download the mobile app, and use it while visiting the Hotel Farah museum to unlock layered narratives in real-time. Currently only available for Android.

Project partners: CHO, KISSR, NN, UCL, and British Museum

Funder: NN, UCL

Creative Director: Dr. Rozhen Kamal Mohammed-Amin

Design & Content: Bzav Shorsh Sabir, Derya Tahir Ezzadin, Kashan Othman Mohammed, Nali Bakhtyar Hama Ali

Software Development: Karo Kameran Rasool