Uni Erfurt Supporter Lounge

For the "Gründersafari 2022" of the University Erfurt, an event in which the University provided a platform to showcase partners and start-ups in the area and from the whole country, I planned and implemented the Supporter Lounge.

Since both the customer and we wanted the levels to be recognizably based on the University itself, the first point of order was to determine which points of interest in the University we would base the supporter lounge. Since the two other areas were already decided to be the yard of the University and a lecture theatre, the University library, with a recognizable layout and facade, as well as an art piece, was an obvious choice.

I wanted to create an interesting level and to keep the library recognizable, both from the outside and the inside, playing with different heights and a roof terrace was a quick choice.

Inside, the height difference would allow me better to display the central open space with the art piece and create a more dynamic level. At the same time, the terrace would break up the flow and allow for an area that is visually distinct from the library yet makes sense in context.

Furthermore, the central open space would allow me to create lower floors that would both make the library more recognizable and create the illusion of a larger building, of which the players could only explore the interesting parts.

After iterating this first idea through various stages of blockouts to ensure both travel distances and the general feel of the room fit the customers and my wishes, I started to decorate the room. The most recognizable point of interest would be the art piece in the middle, which I could recreate from existing assets.

Besides the customer booths, which needed to be the focus of every player's journey through the Library, I wanted to create a visually interesting but not distracting environment. For this, I made several similar but distinct book shelve prefabs, which I then spread throughout the level and seating areas for the students.

I gave these seating areas small scenes, all created from the same assets but telling subtly different stories:

• A coffee pot on documents
• A spilled drink
• A desk full of study materials with a fruit snack nearby

Through this, I created Environmental Storytelling that would give the Library a feeling of verisimilitude without distracting from the main attractions, our customers' booths.