Downtown Halifax Business Commission (DHBC), in partnership with Quirk VR and eight organizations, has produced “Downtown Halifax 360” – an exciting six-minute, 360-degree, immersive virtual reality (VR) video that highlights some of the most popular attractions and points of interest in the Downtown Halifax area. Using the latest virtual reality technology, the video presents Halifax in a dynamic and forward-thinking light, as a place you want to visit and explore.
Along with Quirk VR, key partners in the project include: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Halifax, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, Develop Nova Scotia, Discover Halifax, Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, Halifax Convention Centre, Killam’s Brewery Market, and Scotia Square.
“‘Downtown Halifax 360’ makes visitors, guests, and even local residents aware of the many fantastic attractions that Downtown Halifax has to offer,” Paul MacKinnon, DHBC Executive Director. “It encourages them to explore the Downtown Halifax area and search out the highlighted features, locations, and more.”
To get the full immersive “Downtown Halifax 360” experience, viewers can either download the video onto their own VR goggles or visit the following locations* that have VR goggles for public use:
- Art Gallery of Nova Scotia Halifax – 1723 Hollis Street
- Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 – 1055 Marginal Road
- Downtown Halifax Business Commission – 1546 Barrington Street, Suite 104
- Halifax Citadel National Historic Site – 5425 Sackville Street
- Halifax Convention Centre, Atrium – 1650 Argyle Street
- Killam’s Brewery Market, by Coffee Matters – 1496 Lower Water Street
- Nova Scotia Visitor Information Centre, Halifax Waterfront – 1655 Lower Water Street
- Scotia Square – 5201 Duke Street
* Check individual locations for operating hours.
Viewers can also watch a 360-degree (non-VR) version of the video at www.downtownhalifax.ca/vr on a desktop/laptop computer, mobile phone, or tablet.
Quirk VR used a Nokia Ozo 360 camera to shoot the video. The Ozo captures extremely high-resolution, 360-degree, 3D video, allowing the viewer to look around the scene and feel a sense of presence and immersion. The production made extensive use of the time-lapse function of the Ozo camera along the Halifax Waterfront and in major shopping and hospitality areas.
There are also Google Street View 360 images of many of the featured attractions incorporated directly into Google Maps, allowing users to “walk into” the spaces when using the Google Street View application.