This is Not a Book

AUGMENTED REALITY Sondeka ALT The first of its kind in East and Central Africa or probably Africa this is a book that brings the story in three dimensions and employs the use of Augmented reality to get immersed into the real aspects of the stories told here in. The book uses Augmented Reality technology that combines the best aspects of digital and print that hooks the reader to the book and yearns to get involved while reading the book. The Collectable book is tactical in delivering the information by blending the content and the information layers in the physical reference system for the user experience.

This Is Not a Book was our bold experiment in reimagining what a festival could be. Instead of stages and tents, we asked: what if you could hold a festival in your hands? The result was a one-of-a-kind, 400-page immersive book that packaged the energy, creativity, and soul of Sondeka ALT into a beautifully designed experience. It wasn’t just a book it was a movement in print, a festival redefined, and a new way to share our stories with the world.

To bring this groundbreaking body of work to life, we clocked in over 500 hours of creative hustle and every second was worth it. Our crew crisscrossed the city capturing video content that would later come alive through augmented reality. While that was happening, we were busy building the AR app that would let readers unlock a whole new way of experiencing the book. Then came the beast itself: assembling a 400-page publication packed with over 100 videos, animated shorts, photography, masterclasses, DJ mixes, films, comics, and photocomics.

We pulled together an all-star team of collaborators from all over the world that included illustrators, photographers, writers, cinematographers, animators, and designers, honestly probably the largest crew we’ve ever mobilized for a single project (yes, even more than our physical festivals!). The result? A book that features over 400 creatives from across disciplines, pushing the boundaries of what storytelling can look and feel like. This Is Not a Book isn’t just a first for CGA, it’s a first for Africa. A living, breathing, augmented celebration of creativity like no other.

Did we mention that Sondeka ALT had its own virtual world too? Because of course it did—this wasn’t your average festival. And what’s a festival without a mascot? We brought Ole Sondeka to life digitally, turning him from a beloved character into an interactive icon. We even created an Instagram filter that turned your eyes blue because why not add a little magic to your selfies?

But we didn’t stop there. We built a dedicated website to house it all that was a central hub for the chaos, creativity, and color of Sondeka ALT. And then came the games. Oh, the games! One of our favorites was an alternate reality experience where players had to dive into our original photocomic Ole Sondeka and the Counter-Creativity Unit to find clues and save Ole himself. It wasn’t just reading, you had to solve mathematical equations, decipher puzzles, and even go on live scavenger hunts around town. It was wild, weird, and wonderfully Sondeka.

Here is a snippet of what it took to create Sondeka Alt.

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