New: Digital wayfinding system guides you safely to your destination
Give it a try!
Up to 4,000 people every working day and 100,000 event visitors every year from all over Germany and many countries around the world have to navigate quickly and reliably to their desired destination across the 14-hectare foundation site with almost 50 buildings and building sections, which are home to 40 partner institutions. In collaboration with 3d-berlin vr solutions GmbH and funded by the state of Saxony-Anhalt, we are putting an end to the search and offe a digital wayfinding system that is unique in Halle since the beginning of 2024. The Martin Luther University has shown great interest right from the start and worked on integrating the locations on the foundation's premises into the system.
The historically evolved and listed site of the Francke Foundations educational cosmos poses particular challenges for navigation. The individual facilities must be accessible 24 hours a day for children, families, students, employees, suppliers, companies, etc. The Refectory of the Studentenwerk Halle opens early in the morning and the Spielehaus e.V. often closes after midnight. Special requirements for navigation on the site include large scientific events, such as the 2024 congress of the German Society for Educational Science (DGfE) with up to 1,800 participants, family events with large audiences such as the Historic Linden Blossom Festival with up to 15,000 visitors on a weekend, decentralised offers for curious people who want to get to know the work of the institutions on the foundation site behind the scenes, such as the Long Night of Science or the wide range of advisory services for families with a migration background in the Family Competence Centre. Suppliers, delivery staff, transport companies etc. can use the service to find the right address with certainty.
The digital wayfinding system is deliberately very easy to use: users who are already in the Francke Foundations scan one of the QR codes on the grounds, for example in the display cases at the central entrance on Franckeplatz or on the steles and signposts of the analogue wayfinding system on the grounds. The selection of almost 1,000 destinations is facilitated by categories that cater for all user groups.
Alternatively, navigation can be started in the web browser of the mobile device or on the desktop. On the desktop, the route can be conveniently selected from home or at work and quickly transferred to a mobile phone using a QR code or forwarded to guests, visitors, etc. via a link. If you wish, you can also print out the route from the desktop application.
Users are guided step-by-step across the site and into the building to their destination. The system is so variable that it can be quickly adapted to changing conditions. For example, for the annual conference of the German Society for Educational Sciences from 10-13 March 2024, a separate section for the 1,800 expected guests will show the conference locations on the foundation's premises. This will ensure that with 40 parallel lectures, everyone will be able to reach their destination on time.
