What is it?
A physical–digital treasure hunt across Bermondsey using retro rotary telephones installed in custom kiosks.
Participants discover kiosks around the area, dial numbers, and receive riddles, cryptic clues, or audio messages that guide them to local landmarks, businesses, hidden corners, and community spaces.
The system is inspired by an installation at a festival near Berlin, where rotary phones are re-engineered to trigger audio clues/riddles. The original creators have published much of their work on GitHub, making this partially replicable with the right technical setup and proper attribution/support (we should also model a way of rewarding them or the festival for their initial work, as it makes our life easier).
Core Components
- Rotary telephones placed in public-facing kiosks
- Software + hardware integration enabling clue playback (…and as a nice to have call routing to the other phones).
- A narrative-based treasure hunt linking Bermondsey locations
- Local businesses and organisations participating as clue hosts or destinations
- An optional reward mechanic (e.g., stamps, digital badges, a final puzzle, small prizes)
Why do it?
1. It builds a sense of discovery and play in Bermondsey
Treasure hunts attract people of all ages and turns the neighbourhood into a game board.
It encourages curiosity, wandering, and interacting with the area in new ways.
2. It drives footfall to local businesses
Each kiosk or clue can be tied to:
- A café
- A maker space
- A cultural venue
- A small shop
- A hidden courtyard
- Businesses benefit from both visibility and increased visitors, especially during non-peak hours.
3. It’s a compelling piece of urban design
The rotary phones are:
- Visually nostalgic
- Physically engaging
- Unusual enough to be a talking point
- Photogenic (Instagram/TikTok-friendly)
They become both a wayfinding device and a public art piece.
4. It supports open-source creators
- Licensing their code properly
- Paying or donating to them
- Potentially hiring them to consult
This builds goodwill and acknowledges the creative community behind the original idea.
The Berlin festival team has published their system on GitHub. Since they’ve already solved the technical challenges of converting rotary dials into digital triggers, part of the project would involve:
5. It’s technically interesting (and fun to build)
Although the GitHub repo gives a head start, the project requires:
- Hardware hacking (rotary pulses → digital signals)
- Raspberry Pi or similar microcontrollers
- Audio design
- Kiosk fabrication
- Weather-proof installation
- A backend that plays clues or connects calls
This makes it excellent for collaboration between tech-minded locals, makerspaces, schools, or volunteer groups.
6. It aligns with Bermondsey’s identity
Bermondsey has a strong mix of:
- Independent businesses
- Historic architecture
- Contemporary creativity
- A growing tech/innovation community
The treasure hunt reinforces this identity by blending heritage (rotary phones) with modern playful tech.
7. It’s replicable and scalable
You can start with 2–3 kiosks and expand to:
- More clues
- Seasonal hunts
- Collaborations with local festivals (e.g., Bermondsey Street Festival)
- Business BID-led activations
- Evening or weekend trail events
- School or family-friendly puzzle routes
Over time, it can become a signature Bermondsey experience.
What needs to happen next (high-level)
A. Form a working group
Include:
- Participating businesses
- Local makers / tech volunteers
- BID representatives
- Designers / fabricators
- Possibly the Berlin original team
B. Define the trail
- Number of kiosks
- Theme + narrative
- First batch of clues
- End-point reward
C. Technical build
- Inspect the GitHub repo
- Define hardware approach
- Prototype a single phone
- Build kiosks
- Test with small groups
D. Permissions & placement
- Public realm permissions (if needed)
- Agreements with businesses for hosting
- Power or battery considerations
E. Launch + promotion
- Partnerships with schools or community groups
- Local press
- Social media
- Maps or printed game cards
- Could we help other areas to expand the project and run at different locations
Here is the design from one of their posters from 2023.
