With the help of augmented reality, Big Ben got animated

London’s most iconic clock tower, Big Ben, stopped working in 2017 due to the demanded conservation of the object. This decision was made to save clock tower on a long-term basis. While operating, Big Ben produced a deep E note every hour, and every 15 minutes small bells rang. The closing of Big Ben meant that these bells would remain silent until 2021, according to a parliamentary statement.

Thanks to the Snapchat's new lens, London will not have to wait so long to hear Big Ben ring again. Users with the help of their smartphones can see the famous life-size tower without scaffolding around it. The restored clock will appear inside a giant snow globe with the message "Happy Holidays", and increasing the volume on your phone you will be able to hear the bells of Big Ben.

The AR lens is activated using the current view of Big Ben, the forest and everything else to trigger the reviving animation effect. Some Snapchat lenses use geofilters as part of the trigger mechanism. In this case, you need to be within 300 meters far from Big Ben to receive a holiday message and hear the bells. You can also see the exact time on the AR-dial!

In his press release, Eitan Pilipsky, vice president of the Snap platform, states: “We are very pleased to have rediscovered Big Ben for our Snapchat community in London. On this holiday, we wanted to demonstrate the creative power of the experience of the Snap augmented reality, removing the scaffolding around Big Ben — at least for a few special moments”.