Canal Magazine, Issue 2 Redefining the reading experience for the era of Spatial Computing

As we move farther in the world of spatial computing, we asked ourselves how we could reimagine the reading experience. Following in the footsteps of issue 1, Canal Magazine Issue 2 offers through the lens of integrated design, a beautiful printed and augmented reality experience in one holistic package at the service of deeper, more meaningful storytelling.

CANAL is a newsprint that pays homage to the iconic downtown New York street that's been the home to our studio practice since 2018. Through each issue of CANAL, we aim at bringing light to our local Chinatown community in dual language: English and Chinese.

In issue 2, we explored how to best elevate the stories of the community and integrated Augmented Reality into the magazine for a truly interactive experience. We built easter eggs in our design spreads, brought the front and back covers to live with 3D typography that lifts off the page and even integrated a full live action documentary film that hovers over the pages as you flip through the magazine.

This holistic integration allowed us to truly dive in depth into the character journey of the residents of CANAL and take the storytelling of CANAL to the to the next level.