Take a virtual tour of new-look Derby City Lab

People can now take a ‘virtual tour’ of the new-look Derby City Lab inside the Derbion shopping centre following a collaboration with MiniAperture Photography.

Laura Firth, founder of MiniAperture, recently visited the lab, which is on Level 2 of the centre, to create a 360-degree tour, which has since been published on Google Maps and Google Street View.

The new-look lab, which opened its doors to the public on Monday, 4 March, aims to engage and inform visitors about Derby’s regeneration story.

Within the first week of opening, almost 750 people visited the lab in person.

But now, thanks to the virtual tour, people can wander in and explore the space any time they like.

Laura created the virtual tour using top-of-the-range 3D cameras, which have produced images of such clarity and resolution, that users can get up close and personal with all of the content in the city lab.

This includes the new 3D Derby City Model, a 300-year timeline of the city, the City Living Room and the University of Derby’s DUST project.

Adam Rodgers, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby and Derby City Lab lead, said: “It’s fantastic to have a virtual tour, which perfectly captures our new dynamic space in the Derbion.

“Of course, you can’t beat visiting the lab in person. However, the tour gives a great insight to the lab, including the development pipeline and the new 3D Derby City Model.

“It also assists in helping people with additional needs to plan their visit in advance.”

Laura, who previously created a virtual tour of the first incarnation of the city lab when it was housed in a unit in St James’s Street, said: “I was delighted to help Marketing Derby showcase the new chapter for the Derby City Lab using the latest 3D camera technology.

“This makes the Lab fully accessible to anyone, anytime, anywhere.

“I love the new location, it’s absolutely perfect for drawing in more people.

“There’s a lot to get excited about in Derby over the coming months and years –  I expect the lab is going to be an absolute hive of activity!”

To view the new virtual tour click here.