Pyeniny: A Unique Audio Guide for Mountain Enthusiasts

Experience Pieniny's Rich History and Legends through an Innovative App

Pyeniny's unique properties lie in its content and functionality. The app presents Pieniny's rich history and culture in 25 chapters, each narrated by a mysterious mountain spirit. The use of GPS technology allows the app to guide tourists along routes and play specific recordings at the locations they describe. The focus is on the hand-drawn map, with no additional photographs or information that could distract users from the natural beauty around them.

The realization of Pyeniny was a labor of love for Slowakiewicz and Ratajczyk. They not only designed the project but also created all its content. The audio guide texts were written, the voice actors directed, and the soundtrack composed. The map was meticulously drawn on an iPad, and a unique all-caps font, inspired by alleged Slavic runes and slab serif fonts, was designed.

Available for iOS and Android devices in English and Polish, the app covers an area of about 34 square kilometers. The total time of recordings is approximately 57 minutes in both languages. The app is free and fully accessible offline after the map is downloaded.

Despite initial reluctance from some who found the idea of encouraging hikers to use mobile phones in nature inappropriate, the designers persisted. They believed in the core idea of a location-based audio guide experience. The project started in 2013 as Slowakiewicz's MFA project at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice and was completed in 2017 in Zlin. It was launched worldwide for iOS and Android devices in June 2017.

Pyeniny was awarded Silver in A' Mobile Technologies, Applications, and Software Design Award in 2018. The award recognized the design's outstanding expertise, innovation, strong technical characteristics, and splendid artistic skill. It is a testament to the designers' commitment to providing a unique and immersive experience for mountain enthusiasts.