Experience RiVivi Burano
It all started with a dream that became an ambitious, innovative but also fun project. ‘RI-VIVI BURANO’ is the new Martina Vidal Venezia experience designed to revive the art of needle lace, typical of Burano, and to offer guests and customers of the Atelier an interactive and emotionally involving experience.
The conception of the project began in 2022 with Martina Vidal's candidature for Upskill Venezia, an initiative realised by the Fondazione di Venezia in collaboration with Upskill 4.0, under the patronage of Confindustria Venezia and the Chamber of Commerce of Venice Rovigo. Selected by Upskill 4.0 and twinned with Bologna's ITS FITSTIC, Atelier Vidal's project objective was to identify new approaches to transmit the technique and passion of lace-making to young aspiring artisans and others.
The design solution proposed by the students of ITS FITSTIC, supported by Upskill 4.0, was an interactive room between past and future, to relive the Burano of the 1900s, amidst the rhythms and traditions of the past but also to imagine the future of the island's typical lace: ACADEMY BURANO. The opportunity to see a prototype of the interactive room and try out the experience in virtual reality, wearing a visor and the two controllers, allowed us to outline a more complex project and to commission an agency specialised in digital to create a true ‘immersive virtual reality experience’ through a journey through time and the telling of the history and tradition of Burano lace.
The result of this new design is ‘RI-VIVI BURANO’ presented to the public on 23 May 2024 at the Atelier Martina Vidal, in the presence of project partner Upskill 4.0 and technology partner Vitruvio Virtual Reality. ‘RI-VIVI BURANO’ consists of an immersive virtual reality experience through Meta Quest 3 visors and free navigation through teleport method. This experience allows one to virtually travel through the rooms of the past, present and future of Burano and the Atelier Vidal, with a gamified dynamic that allows one to understand the functioning of the equipment through play.
"We think this new experience will allow us to meet and interact with new audiences. It all stemmed from the need to get young people interested in the art of lace-making in order to create a new method of generational transition. At one time, in fact, this craftsmanship was handed down from mother to daughter and was purely performed within the walls of the home. The girls of Burano did not have many options in the field of work, and they knew that the choice to become lace-makers was both necessary and necessary. Today, it is fundamental that the profession of lacemaker can be a choice of will, passion and vision wider than just lace". Marta Perissinotto, Communication Manager of Martina Vidal Venezia.
This new experience with virtual reality is however the first step of a larger project where the main objective is the preservation and revival of Burano lace. In the dream of siblings Martina and Sergio Vidal, we do not stop at a virtual immersion in the Atelier, but think of a globally accessible digital platform with lessons, tutorials and educational resources, to remember not only the history and tradition but also to think about lace in the future.
"The virtual reality of RI-VIVI BURANO allows one to immerse oneself in an extraordinary cultural heritage. It was exciting to see photos, videos and contexts of 20th century Burano again, embedded in a virtual journey that allows us to remember the past, see where we have come and think about the future of this wonderful art. We are thrilled to have realised this new experience Martina Vidal, which will allow us to develop many other activities and contribute to the preservation of Burano lace". Sergio Vidal, Co Founder of the Martina Vidal Venezia brand.
