Web design studio Fabrique and their sister company, web developers Q42 based in Amsterdam, were engaged to turn the conceptual dreams of Oculi Mundi into a (virtual) reality.

Following the remit “Not Your Mama’s Website”, Fabrique and Q42 pushed the limits of technology and coding but balanced this against the need for smooth user experience and functionalities in order to create a full immersive environment.

Testing was done both internally and with real life audiences. The team also built a bespoke content management system to manage the website.

The initial visualisations conjured by M A R and Thecreativedestruction were brought to life by Fabrique, and coded, animated, and tested by Q42. The development process involved rigorous testing to determine the technical feasibility of the project - specifically, what could and could not be coded. Between them, Q42 and Fabrique were able to establish the most effective ways for users to navigate the Oculi Mundi universe.

This project presented major challenges in the areas for user experience, performance, and, importantly, accessibility. Oculi Mundi is under regular review to ensure all features and presentations meet international accessibility standards. The platform has been designed to operate effectively across various internet speeds, the site is optimised for use on the latest laptops, mobile devices, and even clunky public library computers! You can find out more about the access features on the site here.

Oculi Mundi has been designed to be iterated and expanded; as The Sunderland Collection evolves, so does it’s digital home.