About

Concept

archi.tours is a new media platform for interactive engagement. Our virtual stories are created with high quality panoramic photography with story panels, providing immersive journeys for discovering great architecture and design. Each panorama follows a story with  information about the architect, historic context, stylistic approach, materials and other specific details. 

archi.tours is a journalistic project designed to reach wide global audiences, launched with funding from the Uutisraivaaja media innovation contest, (organized by the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation). With fifteen introductory virtual stories published by the end of 2021, our project aims to open new perspectives into our built environment using the latest digital technology. While in traditional photography each image is carefully framed by the author, in digitally crafted panoramic tours, you are allowed to explore each space as you wish – a virtual story is closer to a real-life spatial experience.

With our expertise from digital design, web development and architectural journalism, we are excited to offer this format and to explore the potential in immersive journalism. We are hoping to enrich cultural exchange in the digital realm and deliver well curated information in a sustainable format, accessible anywhere. For all of us with less options for travel, this virtual format provides new channels for discovering great architecture and design.

Team

Marianna Wahlsten

Editorial content & Research

Journalist, photographer, architectural historian. BA Art History and Film Studies (Sussex University), MA Art History (Helsinki University), currently PhD researcher at Université de Paris VII.
marianna@archi.tours

Nikhilesh Haval

Photography & Virtual tours

Architectural photographer, virtual tour creator, BArch (1st Class Honours) Mumbai University-India, MSc Software Tech (Distinction) Sheffield University-UK. Expertise in spatial representation with new technologies since 2012.
nik@archi.tours

Gennady Kurushin

Graphic & web design

Graphic and web designer working in Helsinki. Over 10 years of experience in marketing consulting with online content for non-profit, scientific and academic organizations in Finland. Over 15 years of experience with photography.
hi@gkurushin.com

Contact

For any queries, please contact us directly via the email below:

hello@archi.tours