Designing Hybrid Places: merging interaction design, ubiquitous technologies and geographies of the museum space

In this paper we discuss how geographical notions of space and place can aid designers in creating meaningful interactions between end users and technologically augmented physical spaces—specifically museums. We review the literature that discusses the use of spatial concepts and metaphors within the interaction design field and discuss several examples of interactive museum installations. We then describe how we have incorporated our understanding of place and human experience into the design and development of a hybrid museum space: an interactive exhibition entitled ‘Re-Tracing the Past’ at the Hunt Museum in Limerick, Ireland.