# Bringing historical photographs into the present

Nostalgeo, a product by Nazka Mapps, lets people upload and explore historical photographs on a map. We supported concept development, interface design and development handoff, including an augmented reality proof of concept.

**Product Type:** Historical mapping & AR application  
**Industry:** Digital heritage & mapping  
**Timeframe:** 2019–2020  
**Role:** Concept development, UX/UI design & Unity development management

**Team:** Superflow with Nazka Mapps.

**Scope:** Proof of concept, UX prototyping, UI design, Testing, Unity development management

[Watch the project video](https://superflow.design/_astro/nazka-main.YBfumumf.mp4)

![Demonstration of Nostalgeo’s historical photograph mapping experience.](https://superflow.design/_astro/nazka-poster.NVLm1MPc.webp)

## The challenge.

Historical photos needed metadata, coordinates and alignment with present-day views. Positioning was manual, and an AR experience needed validation in real-world conditions.

## The key decision.

The AR MVP focused on Leuven’s city centre as a bounded testing area. Historical photos appeared as 2D billboards positioned in the mobile camera view, allowing users to approach and view them from different angles.

## The rejected option & why.

Manual photo positioning remained a limitation of the existing platform. The project explored how to simplify and automate alignment with Google Street View, without assuming that automation was already solved.

## The outcome.

The work developed the concept and interface for exploring historical scenes through AR and investigating simpler image mapping, with a Leuven-focused MVP for real-world evaluation.

## Supporting images

![Nostalgeo mobile onboarding screen showing a historical street photograph overlaid on a present-day camera view.](https://superflow.design/_astro/nazka1.BqQSWdQJ.webp)

![Nostalgeo mapping prototype with a present-day street view beside a historical postcard and an upload control.](https://superflow.design/_astro/nazka2.DDx4nPv-.webp)

![Nostalgeo AR interface on a phone, combining a historical street photograph with the modern buildings behind it.](https://superflow.design/_astro/nazka3.D2JLi95l.webp)

## The final verdict.

A limited testing area made the AR concept practical to evaluate. The project brought historical imagery and present-day locations together while keeping photo alignment an explicit development challenge.

## Facing the same challenges?

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