SINGAPORE – In celebration of Singapore’s 50th anniversary, Google has opened Google Shophouse, an interactive pop-up store showcasing its new products to commemorate the nation’s national day.
Visitors of the Shophouse can try the various technological innovations–mobile app Singapore Time Walk, Google Cultural Institute exhibits, 360 degree panoramic views of iconic Singaporean sites, and coding camps for students–that Google created especially for the occasion.
Singapore Time Walk, the mobile app created by MediaMonks in collaboration with Google, allows users to explore Singapore landmarks like the former City Hall and Old Supreme Court without hopping on an airplane. Just by using the app, a visitor can pull out more information about the location, and interact with the landmark using the app to see historic images and animations of the same location overlaid on the modern view.
The app was developed using the Google Maps API. Along with other brands and companies, Google gave the app to Singapore as a gift to celebrate the nation’s birthday, and it will be further developed to feature the Jubilee Walk later this year.
The app was built in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, the National Heritage Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, that provided content and many of the images from their archives, which were then used by MediaMonks to ‘reconstruct’ the past of each landmarks in animation style.
“The Internet is a great platform for recording and sharing our stories, and we’re excited to be collaborating with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, National Heritage Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority on this project. The Singapore Time Walk app brings some of Singapore’s own stories to life and is a new way to explore the city’s past and present,” said Ms Flint.
