Status: Completed. Implemented June 2007

Overview: The MIT Alumni Reunion Weekend happens every year at graduation time and since the building of Frank-Gehry-designed Stata Center, there has been tremendous demand for building tours. Untravel was brought in to develop a guide to this building that allows for flexible touring on rental devices and provides a means of independent exploration during non-peak times. The MIT Press was also interested in developing a mobile, on site version of its popular books Building Stata and Imagining MIT. Untravel conducted interviews with authors of these books, architecture students, prominent MIT professors, Ray and Maria Stata, and Gehry Associates to develop a dynamic guide that told the story of the building and its challenges. The project was a tremendous success, with 140 people taking the tour in two days and demand exceeding supply. The tour can be downloaded here.

Comments: Click on the thumbnails below to view comments from MIT Alumni Reunion Weekend.

Results: From surveys filled out by 85 participants, the content averaged 8 out of 10 stars consistently across both teen, middle age, and retiree groups. Interviews with participants revealed special interest in the ability to understand research initiatives (with views to private lab space), understand the architect’s thought process, and the insider feeling of the tour.

Media Samples:
Untravel MIT Stata Center Tour Page