Chris Burns | TPT Citytown pARade – Augmented Reality Experience

TPT Citytown pARade is an augmented reality experience where kids use real-world tiles to build a parade route and watch it come to life with 3D models from Hero Elementary. Includes image tracking, interactive floats, and custom-modelled Citytown buildings.

TPT Citytown pARade, Hero Elementary AR game, PBS Kids AR, augmented reality parade, educational AR experience, AR city builder, image recognition AR, 3D model Citytown, parade float AR, Unity AR game, AR with physical tiles, children’s interactive STEM game

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Date

July 01, 2021

Tags

3D model Citytown, 3D Modelling, AR city builder, AR with physical tiles, augmented reality parade, children’s interactive STEM game, educational AR experience, Game, Game Art, Hero Elementary AR game, image recognition AR, Maya, parade float AR, PBS Kids AR, TPT Citytown pARade, Unity AR game

Client: TPT / PBS Kids
Role: 3D Artist – Environment & Asset Modeling
Platform: Augmented Reality (Tablet & Mobile)
Tools: Unity, Vuforia Image Recognition, Maya

TPT Citytown pARade is a physical-meets-digital augmented reality experience developed to extend the world of the PBS Kids show Hero Elementary. In this interactive activity, users arrange printed real-world tiles to build a parade route. Using a phone or tablet, the app recognises the layout through image tracking and brings it to life—generating animated parade floats and detailed 3D landmarks from the Citytown universe.

I was responsible for modelling the 3D buildings and environmental assets, creating stylised, show-accurate versions of Citytown locations that seamlessly blend with the Hero Elementary visual style. The project was designed to encourage creative spatial thinking and real-world engagement by combining physical play with digital magic.

This AR experience is part of a broader initiative to create hands-on, educational, and inclusive media experiences for children that promote STEM concepts through play.

Project PDF Instructions (Hero Elementary site)