Augmented Classroom: A Case Study on Integrating XR and Ludification in Speculative Sculpture Design Workshop

This paper delves into a multidisciplinary workshop, “Speculative [x]culptures: Crafting Future Solutions for Statuary in Public Spaces” conducted at the Department of Digital Arts and Cinema at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. Inspired by the ongoing debate on public statuary initiated by the #BlackLivesMatter movement [1], this workshop engages participants in a creative process integrating speculative design methodology with immersive extended reality (XR) experiences and critical play. It encourages meaningful conversations about historical notions of public statuary in creative ways, based on the socio-political context of an example of Greek national statuary—the Greek revolution statue of Theodoros Kolokotronis in Athens, authored by the sculptor Lazaros Sochos and inaugurated in 1904. Aiming to probe diverse perspectives on public statuary and their significance, thereby contributing to the student’s learning and global skills development in the education 4.0 era, the authors explore the synergies between XR technologies and ludification tools in the rapid critical prototyping of 3D concepts. This innovative pedagogical approach enables participants to explore the relations between statuary and context(s), envisioning and prototyping future solutions that shape public statues’ perception and interpretation. The case study presented sheds light on the practical implications of this interdisciplinary approach, offering insights into the potential of XR and speculative design to foster critical socio-environmental thinking in higher education.