Project description

 

What characteristics must a plant have to gain the reputation for magic qualities? There is usually only a small step between the unusual and the mysterious. For this reason, plants which are "out of the ordinary", have always fuelled our imagination and fantasy. In the "Witch’s Garden" of the Institute for Environment and Natural Resources of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Wädenswil, a small selection of plants is presented which at various times played a role in religion, cultural history or medicine. Plants which were already used and documented thousands of years ago.

Representative for all sections of the "Witch’s Garden", the ZHAW project managers have invented stories in each of which a plant plays a special role. Eight stories which could actually have happened like this at one time. A scientific section describing the appearance and mode of action of the featured medicinal plant completes each episode.

No electricity? No problem.

On behalf of the University of Applied Sciences, Audiotours GmbH recorded these texts and constructed an audio post which was specifically designed for this purpose and visually blends with the information concept of the rest of the garden. The individual stories are triggered at the keyboard and played over a built-in loudspeaker system. Since the audio column in the "Witch’s Garden" is installed outdoors and is not connected to the mains, power is generated by sunshine via photovoltaic cells. In bad weather or if the battery is flat, a crank on the outside helps to supply enough power for playing the recording. An adventure for young and old!

This ecologically sensible appliance is wind- and waterproof. It can be easily copied and is suitable for all outdoor applications such as nature and adventure parks or theme-based hiking paths.

Audiotours in the media

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