Alibaba, known as one of the largest China's technology companies, tried to use lego bricks to build a future city while using AR technic to spread the messages to visitors. An Ali Future City (Alitopia) was built. Although the Alitopia was made up of 40,000 Lego bricks and hundreds of Lego characters and props, this is definitely not a Lego advertisement. In fact, under such a sophisticated installation, Alibaba used it to tell the story of the Alibaba ecosystem and the smart city emergency management system. At the heart of the story is the “ET brain” in the city center. This long artificial brain-like building simulates a city's artificial intelligence center, and every building, vehicle, and operation systems in the city is are the part of the brain neuron. When the financial building was on fire, the smoke was detected in the building and triggered the alarm. ET brain received the message and dispatched the nearest fire truck and the ambulance automatically. The “green route” started, the social vehicle received the message and gave way for the emergency to make sure both fire truck and ambulance could arrive at the fire scene promptly. Yes, this is an example of IoT, Alibaba uses a fun way to try to tell the professional big data concept to the ordinary people and seek for government support.

As the creative studio of this project, VAVE tried to hide many surprises, which related to the Ali ecosystem in the model. For example, the sculpture in the city centre is the sculpture in front of the DingTalk building in Ali Hangzhou Park. When the audience scans with AR, the story of DingTalk will be shown on the screen. Through these urban models that contain "surprises", Alibaba hopes that the audiences will focus not only on a huge Ali economy, but on the warmth stories behind the economy and related to people's livelihood.

Most attractive booth in 2018 Alibaba Computing Conference

Alibaba, known as one of the largest China's technology companies, tried to use lego bricks to build a future city while using AR technic to spread the messages to visitors. VAVE found an easier way to communicate with visitors.

Four teams worked together to build this exhibit. First of all, VAVE, as a design and creative role. We set the concept and lead the way. And secondly, our lego partner who helped us to built these lego cities out. Thirdly is our factory partner who helped us on those mechanism parts and the basic model table. Lastly, the multi-media partner who did the programming for AR.

The first AR technic built on a model table built with lego bricks.

The goal was to let visitors enjoyed the exhibit and learnt more about Alibaba, being such a powerful economy group and inexplicable IoT knowledge. And we can indeed find the target at the Computing Conference site, and the visitors were really enjoyed it.