GoBituary Rekindled is a hybrid digital-physical history project that invites university community members to engage with the legacy of individuals who shaped the early development of UC Berkeley. Through a monument embedded with interactive technology and a companion website, GoBituary Rekindled highlights the lives and contributions of ten historical figures. The monument, installed in a public setting, allows users to explore collages of artifacts from the figures’ lives (like photos, quotes, and newspaper clippings) by simply placing a magnet (stylized as a 3D-printed campanile) over a name. The accompanying website offers deeper narrative context, connecting these fragments to the broader stories behind them.
This project seeks to spark personal reflection and a deeper sense of civic connectedness by presenting history not as a fixed record but as a participatory and evolving dialogue. By learning about the lives of those who made a mark on their communities, users are encouraged to consider their own stories and how they, too, might shape the future of their institutions and neighborhoods.