European Citiverses Uniting for Inclusiveness has selected Gothenburg Horse Show as a testing ground for its prototype, AccessCity, as the event celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2027. AccessCity aims to make it easier for families with diverse needs to prepare for and experience major events.
“Coming to an event should feel exciting, not uncertain. For many families, big events such as the Gothenburg Horse Show require detailed planning and can generate stress. Questions about entrances, routes, facilities, crowds, sensory impressions and what to expect on site can determine whether a visit feels possible. Being able to explore a place digitally beforehand and giving visitors a better understanding of what to expect thanks to technological innovation can make a huge difference.” says Jenny Lindström Beijar from Our Normal Association, who contributes with inclusive user research and universal design expertise to the project.
For its 50th anniversary, on 22–28 March 2027, Gothenburg Horse Show will collaborate with European Citiverses Uniting for Inclusiveness and its prototype under development, AccessCity, to make the event smart and inclusive.
AccessCity aims to give visitors a clearer picture of the venue before they arrive. Built on Gothenburg’s local digital twin, the prototype combines digital visualisation with AI-supported guidance to help people plan a visit based on their individual needs. It offers several instruction videos and sound recordings from the event for a complete immersive experience beforehand.
Human-centred technology, developed with families
AccessCity has been developed by the European Citiverses Uniting for Inclusiveness project in collaboration with Gothenburg Horse Show over the past two years. Visitors who have taken part in the project's user testing have shared their experiences and contributed to the development.
The project places particular emphasis on families where one or more members may face physical barriers, cognitive challenges, age-related needs, anxiety or language barriers. The aim is to make events easier to navigate, more inclusive and more welcoming for everyone.
“The project is fully aligned with our ambition, both at Got Event and Gothenburg Horse Show, to make our venues and events accessible to everyone. We are proud to contribute to the development of a solution that we hope will give more people the opportunity to experience unforgettable sporting moments.” says Erika Olsson, Event Director Gothenburg Horse Show at Got Event.
The insights from this collaboration will be of use for continuous exploration on how digital twins and AI can lower thresholds to urban spaces. Lessons learned can be of use to other European cities and major events, through open-source solutions, scalability and interoperability.
Learn more about the AccessCity prototype here: AccessCity
