Mapped cultural heritage and stories
Collaboration: Sør-Varanger Utvikling, with Maria Th. W. Grensemo, Magnus Hestad & Annika Maria Baig
Duration: 11 weeks
Output: Interactive Figma prototype, report and presentation
Role: Part of a larger team conducting fieldwork and mapping opportunities in Sør-Varanger municipality. Helped drive the process from identifying areas of opportunity to ideation, testing, and prototyping.
Ságá is a platform that connects stories, memories, and local knowledge and places them on the map. Its goal is to lower the threshold for engaging with nature, make cultural heritage accessible, and strengthen local belonging for both locals and newcomers in Varanger.
Storytelling is a cornerstone of Northern Norwegian identity, yet many stories are at risk of disappearing because they are passed on orally or remain within small, fragmented communities. This is especially true of intangible cultural heritage, such as knowledge of the landscape, wartime experiences, craftsmanship, and traditions.
Through Ságá, people can share their own stories on their own terms while experiencing others’ stories in the landscapes where they belong. The platform creates a socially, historically, and culturally meaningful meeting place where past and present are woven together, and where stories “continue to be told as they once were.”
Fieldwork and digital ethnography
Through fieldwork and digital ethnography, we discovered a vivid culture of storytelling and sharing, both online and offline. The fieldwork also gave us insight into the deep cultural roots of the landscape and important historical events. These insights became part of the foundation for our design work as we moved into ideation.
Ideation
We wanted to begin testing early, so we moved quickly into ideation to explore different ways of working with stories, places, and landscapes.
Concept development
The ideas led us to explore a platform that could bring people into nature through courses, monuments, and historical places.
Testing and iterations
These quick prototypes allowed us to test ideas with potential users, providing valuable feedback as we developed the Ságá concept.
The final iterations focused more on giving local residents the opportunity to write and contribute their own stories, which also aligned with the storytelling culture we discovered through our research.
Final iteration and result
Ságá consists of a landing page with a bulletin board where users can find nearby historical sites, current local events, and stories shared by local residents.
In the map view, users can explore different layers, including historical sites, place names, and cultural heritage, as well as a community layer where people can share stories and reflections tied to the landscape.
Every post includes a contribution field. Rather than framing it as a traditional comment section, Ságá invites users to add stories, knowledge, or reflections.
We also created pins that highlight local history and culture, making it clear that they are interactive and inviting users to explore further.
