Gagarin has been commissioned by Nacka Municipality in Sweden to explore new ways of bringing the historic Battle of Stäket (1719) to life through digital storytelling.
The project focuses on the digitisation of a historical exhibition and the development of outdoor experiences connected to the original battle site. By combining historical research, interactive storytelling and digital technology, the aim is to create an engaging visitor experience in the very landscape where the events unfolded.
As part of the concept development, Gagarin explored tools such as mobile-based experiences and interactive narratives to make the story more accessible and engaging, especially for families, students, and younger audiences.
The concept is built around a narrative journey through the landscape, where each stop reveals new layers of the story through historical insights, visualisations and interactive elements.
At Stäket, history is not just told, it is discovered, step by step, in the landscape where it once unfolded.
The Battle of Stäket took place towards the end of the Great Northern War in 1719, when Russian forces attempted to reach Stockholm through the archipelago. Swedish troops repelled the attack, preventing a possible invasion of the capital.
Through this project, Nacka Municipality aims to modernise how local history is communicated and connect heritage, nature, and technology in an engaging outdoor learning experience using active discovery pedagogy.
Expanding storytelling into the landscape
In recent years, Gagarin has increasingly worked with outdoor and mobile-based experiences, where digital storytelling unfolds directly in the landscape. Projects such as The Hero’s Journey and Búðarstígur explore how personal devices can guide visitors through places, revealing layered narratives through sound, visuals and interaction. This approach offers a flexible and scalable way to communicate complex stories, allowing visitors to explore at their own pace, while reducing the need for physical infrastructure and enabling experiences to evolve.
Photo above: Henrik Trygg/Nacka Municipality