The Brief
Delapré Abbey—an iconic historic site and home to our own office—approached us with a vision: to bring the refugee heritage of the Bouverie family to life in a way that felt immersive, emotive, and inclusive.
This was their brief, and it became a true collaboration—between the Abbey, the University of Northampton, and our team at Toru Digital. Together, we set out to create an experience that would move beyond static displays and invite visitors to engage with the past in a more meaningful way.
At the heart of the exhibition is a digital dialogue between a father and daughter, brought to life through two responsive picture frames. These ‘live portraits’ react to visitor presence in real time—bridging generations through intuitive technology and powerful storytelling.
A Shared Vision Comes to Life
The brief demanded more than technical innovation—it required sensitivity to setting. The exhibition needed to sit naturally within the Abbey’s historic fabric, enhancing the visitor experience without disrupting the building’s cultural integrity.
Key requirements included:
- A solution that respected the architecture and atmosphere of the space.
- A seamless, screen-free interaction triggered by visitor presence alone.
- A flexible system built to support future storytelling and content expansion.
This wasn’t just about delivering functionality—it was about designing with context, ensuring the technology complemented the heritage it was there to serve.
Engineering Emotion
We approached this project with a clear aim: to blend digital innovation with historical storytelling in a way that respected the Abbey’s character while elevating the visitor experience. Every decision balanced functionality with empathy, precision with presence.
1. Crafting the Interaction
We created a system that responds instinctively to visitors. As someone approaches, motion sensors trigger a real-time, synchronised exchange between two digital portraits. It’s immediate, seamless, and entirely intuitive—no instructions needed.
2. Building for Longevity
The setup is reliable and low-profile, designed to sit comfortably within the Abbey’s historic environment. It runs smoothly day-to-day and is built with the flexibility to grow—making future updates and new stories simple to implement.
3. Creative Development
Collaboration was key. We partnered with the University of Northampton, where students used their skills in acting, film and visual effects to create the digital portraits. Their performances added warmth and realism, grounding the experience in human emotion and historical detail.
Beyond the Frame
The immersive exhibition delivered remarkable outcomes:
- Built to invite deeper engagement through curiosity and reflection.
- Enhanced cultural narrative accessibility.
- Positive feedback from audiences and stakeholders.
- Established a blueprint for heritage technology interpretation.
Seeing visitors stop, watch, and react to the experience we've built is incredibly rewarding. We wanted history to feel real, and we’ve achieved that.
Senior Back-End Developer at Toru Digital
This exhibition is an important addition to Delapré Abbey’s interpretation, helping us tell a fuller, more inclusive story of its past. The research and collaboration behind this project have been exceptional, and Toru Digital’s expertise has helped us create something truly special for our visitors.
Head of Engagement and Interpretation at Delapré Abbey
History, Reimagined
This project reimagines what interpretation can look like in heritage spaces—bridging the gap between past and present through thoughtful, tech-enabled storytelling. These ‘live portraits’ don’t just share history—they spark dialogue, empathy and reflection.
This work was supported by the Association of Independent Museums’ New Stories New Audiences grant scheme, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and contributions from Northampton Town of Sanctuary, University of Northampton, Northampton College, Lima Studio, Ltd Limited, Tangerine Red, Chroma Conservation, and Northampton Film Festival.
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