Legend of the Patupaiarehe
This project is a campaign and an interactive escape room experience that is based on the Māori myth of the Patupaiarehe, which are mysterious fairy like beings who are known for their recluse nature and avoidance of light and cooked food. The project is designed for Rangatahi (youth) in New Zealand, to encourage collaboration and problem solving while embedding an important cultural story in a playful and fun way.
The primary focus of this project relates to the increasing challenges surrounding socialisation for many Rangatahi after COVID-19, including isolation, loneliness, and social anxiety. This project responds to those challenges by providing a unique and immersive group experience, using projection mapping as the basis for a collective adventure in a Māori mythological setting. Our goal was to improve social competence, and teamwork, and re engage youth to their cultural identity through an interactive form.
August 2024
Team Members
Xania Loggerenberg, Aaron Lee, Zoe Dawson
Many Rangatahi in Aotearoa are experiencing challenges with socialising post COVID and are feeling more isolated, awkward, and disconnected than ever. At the same time, research highlighted that Māori youth often lack opportunities to engage with traditional stories in ways that felt relevant, exciting, and empowering.
The design challenge became clear - How might we use creative technology to reintroduce Māori folklore to Rangatahi in a way that is interactive, contemporary, and respectful - while also rebuilding social confidence and fostering teamwork amongst youth.
As a team, we developed a cohesive brand and visual style for the escape room experience. The design supported the story, conveyed mood and atmosphere, provided clues and hints, and helped to immerse participants in the overall experience. The overall look and feel were produced with the Patupaiarehe in mind. We used soft, muted colours, organic shapes, and subtle references to Māori design.
The collateral was designed to complement the overall experience not overwhelm or confuse the participants. The collateral was designed to assist participants in understanding the narrative, settle into the space, and begin to work together to solve the challenges in front of them.
The brand guidelines document outlining the look and feel of the experience. It includes colour palettes and gradients, illustration and typography styles, logo and pattern usage, and clear do's and don’ts to ensure consistency across all collateral.
The creative media strategy outlines how our brand will be used and how users will interact with our product. Including our brand values, tone of voice, key touch points, collateral and
campaign timeline.
The user guideline was created to inform users of all essential information related to the escape room. It can be viewed after the escape room to learn further information on the technology used, Māori mythology and more.
Introduction Room
Room 1
Room 2
Room 3
The poster and social media collateral is split into two rounds. The first round teases and builds hype around the upcoming escape room experience. The second round promotes the official opening and continues post launch to maintain momentum and engagement.