Design Better Podcast: Idris Brewster – Bringing History to Life with Augmented Reality

Episode Release Date: February 4, 2025
Host: Eli Woolery and Aaron Walter
Guest: Idris Brewster, Co-founder of Kinfolk Foundation

Introduction

In this engaging episode of Design Better, hosts Eli Woolery and Aaron Walter delve into the innovative work of Idris Brewster, the co-founder of Kinfolk Foundation. Brewster's mission is to bridge the fractured collective memory of the United States by leveraging augmented reality (AR) to make hidden histories visible and accessible to all.

Idris Brewster’s Journey and Inspirations

Backstory and Early Influences
Idris Brewster’s eclectic upbringing in Brooklyn, New York, profoundly influenced his multidisciplinary approach to design and technology. Raised in Fort Greene—a historically significant neighborhood known for its ties to the Underground Railroad—Brewster was immersed in a rich cultural environment.

Idris Brewster [03:28]:
"I'm from Brooklyn, New York, born and raised, lived in Fort Greene... I was lucky enough to grow up in that neighborhood and was doing a bunch of different things."

His parents, both filmmakers, nurtured his artistic inclinations, leading him to explore various mediums such as graphic and sound design. Brewster’s passion for video games—from Pokemon to Elden Ring—fostered a love for interactive learning and storytelling.

Educational Path
Initially pursuing biology to satisfy parental expectations, Brewster shifted his focus to cognitive science and computer science with a concentration in artificial intelligence. This pivot allowed him to blend his interests in technology and the arts.

Idris Brewster [04:23]:
"I would say, the materiality of technology in a way. Really getting into digital art in all senses of it."

During his college years (2012-2016), Brewster engaged with early virtual reality (VR) technologies, experimenting with the Oculus DK2. This experience ignited his passion for immersive environments that combine visual media, sound, and narrative.

Professional Beginnings
After college, Brewster joined Google’s Code Next, a program aimed at teaching computer science to Black and Brown youth through creative and playful methods. This role solidified his commitment to empowering marginalized communities through technology.

The Genesis of Kinfolk Foundation

Founding Kinfolk
Post-Google, Brewster co-founded Kinfolk Foundation to address the erasure of significant historical narratives in public spaces. Inspired by initiatives like Stumbling Stones in Europe, Kinfolk sought to utilize AR to commemorate overlooked histories in American cities.

Idris Brewster [04:48]:
"We wanted to create these alternatives, explorations of what public space could look like if it was representative of the people that lived in the city."

Initial Efforts and Challenges
Starting in 2017, Kinfolk experimented with digital monuments, collaborating with local meetups, galleries, and public spaces. Despite limited resources, the team’s scrappy prototypes laid the groundwork for future developments.

Idris Brewster [06:00]:
"We were really trying to mix a bunch of different things together, inspired by Pokemon Go, which was how we could really make the history of our city accessible from our phone."

Impact of COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic delayed Kinfolk’s original vision of activating public spaces. Instead, they pivoted to bring AR experiences into users' homes, allowing virtual engagement with historical monuments.

Kinfolk’s Augmented Reality Experience

Evolution of Kinfolk’s Platform
Kinfolk’s AR experience has evolved to include both Surface Detection Mode and Location-Based Experiences. Initially, users could place digital monuments in their own spaces, creating personalized virtual galleries.

Idris Brewster [09:31]:
"You could bring these monuments, create your own virtual gallery. And learn about these histories and bring these historical figures into your living room."

In early 2023, a partnership with Niantic enabled Kinfolk to integrate advanced geolocation technology. This collaboration allowed the foundation to implement location-based AR experiences, activating specific historical sites within selected cities like New York and the Bay Area.

Idris Brewster [10:05]:
"We partnered with Niantic to incorporate their technology... that allowed us to achieve that vision, finally, of activating these locations where people could just discover monuments and histories around their city."

User Experience Example
Brewster illustrates the Kinfolk experience with a vivid example:

Idris Brewster [19:51]:
"Imagine you are walking around Brooklyn Bridge Park and you get a notification on your phone that tells you that you are near a hidden history. You click on the notification, it opens up the Kinfolk app, and you are met with a map that's able to show you all of the important hidden histories that are around you."

Upon reaching a designated location, the AR monument appears in real-time, complete with immersive audio that enriches the historical narrative.

Community Engagement and Story Curation

Participatory Design Approach
Kinfolk emphasizes participatory design, collaborating directly with local communities, grassroots organizations, artists, and historians to curate and create monuments. This inclusive approach ensures that the narratives are authentic and representative of the communities they honor.

Idris Brewster [14:37]:
"We want to create an alternative to the cultural creation spaces in our digital world that are available, that can give people power, ownership, and stewardship over their own narratives and stories."

Building Trust and Collaboration
Scaling Kinfolk beyond New York posed challenges, particularly in forging trust with new communities. Kinfolk addresses this by partnering with established local organizations that are already invested in preserving their history.

Idris Brewster [17:00]:
"We work with a community organization who has a community who is really involved already in the preservation of their history and their stories, and will form focus groups, design workshops... to imagine what histories they want to tell."

Exhibitions and Artistic Collaborations
Beyond digital monuments, Kinfolk engages with traditional artists—sculptors, painters, and filmmakers—to present these stories through various artistic mediums, enriching the AR experiences with diverse creative inputs.

Notable Projects: Celebrating James Baldwin

Honoring Cultural Legacies
One standout project involves collaborating with the Baldwin family to celebrate the 100th anniversary of James Baldwin. Kinfolk developed an AI-driven interactive experience that allows users to engage with Baldwin's wisdom through Wisdom Cards—a gamified approach to accessing archival media.

Idris Brewster [21:30]:
"We were meeting with the Baldwin family because they wanted to see a better representation from their perspective on James Baldwin's wisdom and wanted that wisdom to be shared with everyone."

This initiative aims to make Baldwin's insights more accessible and interactive, encouraging users to draw parallels between his work and their personal lives.

Design Process and Technology Stack

Tools and Technologies
Kinfolk utilizes a robust suite of tools to create its AR experiences:

• Unity: Serving as the primary platform for aggregating content and building the application.
• VR Programs: Tools like Tilt Brush and Quill are employed by Kinfolk’s VR artist, Micah Milner, to design and visualize monuments in a virtual space.

Idris Brewster [24:04]:
"Unity is the main tool that we're building this application in. It's a game design tool... A lot of the work is created in VR programs."

Collaborative Design
The design process is highly collaborative, involving VR artists, local historians, and community members to ensure that each monument accurately reflects the intended narrative and cultural significance.

Idris Brewster [24:48]:
"Our co-founder, Micah Milner... spending a lot of time collaborating with artists as well as these local community members and historians to bring these stories to life."

Conclusion and Future Vision

Empowering Communities
Kinfolk Foundation envisions becoming the premier cultural curatorial platform, offering a trusted space for communities to preserve and share their histories through innovative technologies.

Idris Brewster [16:50]:
"We want to empower communities to do that themselves... create a container for our collective memory."

Expanding Impact
As Kinfolk continues to grow, the foundation aims to incorporate more cities and cultural legacies, ensuring that diverse histories are recognized and celebrated across the nation.

Idris Brewster [22:00]:
"The future vision for Kinfolk is to become sort of the premier cultural curational platform that's out there."

Key Takeaways

• Augmented Reality as a Tool for Historical Preservation: Kinfolk leverages AR to bring forgotten or marginalized histories into public consciousness, making education immersive and engaging.

• Community-Centric Approach: By involving local communities in the creation process, Kinfolk ensures authenticity and fosters a sense of ownership over the narratives presented.

• Innovative Use of Technology: Utilizing platforms like Unity and VR programs, Kinfolk blends traditional storytelling with cutting-edge technology to create compelling historical experiences.

• Scalable and Adaptable: Through strategic partnerships and a flexible design approach, Kinfolk is poised to expand its impact, making diverse histories accessible in various urban landscapes.

Notable Quotes

• Idris Brewster on Collective Memory:
  "The collective memory within the country has been fractured, portions have been erased. And so we want to create a groundswell and a movement... to really represent and fill in those gaps of history so that we are represented, our stories are told, and they are taken in."
  [00:01]

• On Participatory Design:
  "We want to empower communities... to have stewardship over their own narratives and stories."
  [14:37]

• Describing the Kinfolk App Experience:
  "You can engage in wayfinding to find your way to that monument... hear the artist statement and dig into the archives of the Black Power movement."
  [19:51]

For more insights into the intersection of design, technology, and creativity, subscribe to the Design Better podcast at designbetterpodcast.com.