ECO-CULTURAL TREASURE HUNT
A GAMIFIED CULTURAL QUEST THROUGH MONTJÜIC
CATEGORY
Cultural Quest
LOCATION
Montjuïc, Barcelona
YEAR
2023
ROLE
Experience & Tour Designer · Cultural Programmer · Game Designer · Facilitator
About the project
Designed for the +MODEL Festival, the Eco-Cultural Treasure Hunt transformed Montjuïc into an open-air learning experience where the greatest treasure wasn't something to find, but the mountain itself.
Through geocaching, storytelling, environmental stewardship, and community, immigrant participants discovered the hidden cultural and ecological layers of one of Barcelona's most iconic landscapes.
HOW CAN WE TRANSFORM A WALK THROUGH THE CITY INTO AN EXPERIENCE OF DISCOVERY, LEARNING & BELONGING?
Cities are often experienced as places we move through rather than places we truly understand.
The Eco-Cultural Treasure Hunt invited immigrant participants to slow down, observe more carefully, and build deeper relationships with Barcelona's history, landscapes, and communities through playful exploration.
PARTICIPANTS EXPLORED, REFLECTED, COLLABORATED, AND CARED FOR THE SPACES THEY VISITED THROUGHOUT THE JOURNEY.
Participants embarked on a curated journey across Montjuïc where every stop revealed a different layer of the mountain's identity.
Through geocaching, storytelling, environmental observation, public art, and collective stewardship, the experience invited visitors to discover how history, ecology, architecture, and urban design coexist within the same landscape.
TEAMWORK AND ACTIVE COLLECTIVE STEWARDSHIP WERE AT THE CENTRE OF THE EXPERIENCE.
Rather than following a conventional guided tour, participants actively searched for hidden treasures, interpreted monuments, observed local flora and fauna, cared for public spaces, and shared conversations throughout the journey, gradually developing a richer understanding of Montjuïc as both a natural and cultural ecosystem.
Treasure Hunt
Geocaching Missions
Visitors searched for hidden treasures while uncovering stories connected to Montjuïc's cultural and natural heritage,transforming the route into a playful journey of discovery.
Engagement
Collective Stewardship
Participants were invited to collect litter throughout the walk, reinforcing the idea that caring for cultural landscapes is itself an act of participation.
Immersive Education
Cultural Interpretation
Each location became an opportunity to explore stories about Montjuïc's history, architecture, public art, ecology, and urban development through guided conversation rather than traditional lectures.
Belonging
Community Picnic
Midway through the experience, the group gathered for an informal picnic, creating space for rest, conversation, connection, and reflection.
EXPERIENCE PROGRAM
Introduction at Teatre Grec
Orientation, roles, and an introduction to Montjuïc's history and significance.
Cultural & Ecological Discovery
Exploring gardens, architecture, monuments, biodiversity, and public infrastructure through storytelling and geocaching.
Collective Stewardship
A collaborative litter collection highlighting the relationship between environmental care and cultural heritage.
Community Picnic
A shared pause overlooking Barcelona for conversation and reflection.
Playful Exploration
Interactive public spaces encouraged visitors to engage with the city through play, curiosity, and movement.
Closing Reflection
Final geocache, waste sorting, project reflections, and community recommendations.
BEHIND THE EXPERIENCE
Rather than separating environmental education, cultural interpretation, and community building into independent activities, the experience integrated them into one continuous journey through Montjuïc. Play became the vehicle for learning, while stewardship became a form of participation, encouraging visitors to build stronger relationships with both the landscape and one another.
01
MEANING-CENTERED DESIGN™
02
COMMUNITY INFRAESTRUCTURE FRAMEWORK™
03
EXPERIENCE JOURNEY FRAMEWORK™
04
LEARN THROUGH PARTICIPATION FRAMEWORK™
05
LANDSCAPE INTERPRETATION FRAMEWORK™
XAV'S PARTICIPATORY SYSTEMS USED
Landscape Interpretation Framework™
Natural environments, public spaces, monuments, and infrastructure become storytelling devices that reveal the cultural, ecological, and historical layers of a place through guided exploration.
Prompt-Based Reflection System™
Questions and stories encouraged participants to connect local history with broader cultural themes.
Quest-Based Learning System™
Participants learned by solving challenges rather than only consuming information.
Community Gathering Model
The shared activities and common goals created opportunities for relationships to emerge naturally throughout the experience.
IMPACT
The Eco-Cultural Treasure Hunt demonstrated how cities themselves can become playful learning environments for a diverse international audience.
By combining culture, ecology, storytelling, and collaboration, the experience strengthened immigrant participants' connection with Barcelona while fostering new relationships between strangers through shared exploration.
