Shu-Te University

Shoushan National Nature Park in southwest Taiwan is popularly known as Monkey Mountain. Besides the famous Formosan macaques, visitors can enjoy the impressive natural scenery and cultural gems, as well as diverse outdoor pursuits and activities. Yun-Sheng Guo, Chun-Che Hsu, Xuan-Yi Li and Hong-Sheng Lin, all students at Shu-Te University, developed an app for the park that not only provides maps and hiking routes, but also a wealth of botanical information. It even uses augmented reality to bring buildings and historical sites to life. The university’s aim is to promote independent learning, and the students have certainly demonstrated their abilities, technical know-how and creative flair in this national park project.

Interview with Shu-Te University

Red Dot: What makes the Shoushan app so unusual compared to similar applications?
Shu-Te University: The app differs from other travel apps in that it offers comprehensive information about historical sites and local attractions, plus information about the flora and fauna in Shoushan National Nature Park. It also integrates AR technology to display 3D models of the historical sites on users’ mobile phones, delivering a richer and more immersive navigation experience.

What other technical features does the app have?
In addition to the basic user guidance and navigation functions, our app provides an offline mode so that visitors can conveniently access content, even without internet connectivity.

Why did you choose such a minimalist approach?
Mainly to cater to the needs of hikers in the park. The central design principles are “fun”, “clear” and “simple”. We also used geometric shapes and vibrant colours to present the historical sites and leave a lasting impression on users.

There’s a strong focus on illustrative elements that immediately catches the eye. Why did you use illustrations rather than the usual approach of photos?
Illustrations offer more creative freedom and scope for imagination than photos. Our goal was to present the information about the attractions in a much clearer way. We looked at the advantages and disadvantages of photos and illustrations in the analysis phase and decided that real images are often too complex, which can make the information confusing.

Which part of designing the app did you enjoy the most?
Our favourite part of designing the app was the integration of the 3D modelling feature for the AR rendering. It supports first-time visitors to Shoushan and improves the experience of visiting and exploring the national park.