Screen capture from Beta Genome

Originally called the Creators Gallery, Beta Genome was always a central part of the BetaSpace ethos. Since our shift from other project ideas to BetaSpace, the idea of having a place to exhibit personal works of interactive art was always a central desire. The Beta Genome exhibit was then obviously named so because the creators of BetaSpace built it as an exhibit to house personal works.

An exhaustive amount of investigation took place into what the group felt we could do in terms of developing a unique navigational experience through our virtual galleries, while still taking into account the end user. Numerous sites were looked at – some with outlandish navigation schemes and some with more traditional formats. Since Beta Genome was largely a testing ground for building the other galleries, a lot of ideas were thrown around in group meetings as to what this gallery was going to be. As the navigational process was developed, one thing that was realized among group members was the intent to make the navigation based on experience building, rather than on following a trail of information.

Preliminary prototype sketches and design mockup

In the initial idea stages, and for much of the project, the creation of personal works was a primary force within the BetaSpace team. As the need to develop more communal efforts online became apparent within the project, the idea of centralizing the project around personal artworks had to take a supporting role. Not only because the community building effort can be so intensive in terms of technological and promotional considerations, but also because there was a desire to make the individual works arise out of the greater ideas of BetaSpace: social connectivity and group process.

Indeed the idea of social connections has always been a big part of BetaSpace. The underlying concept that unifies the experience of browsing through the galleries is of attending an ‘artists party’ where viewers not only observe works, but also interact with others within that social context (space). The visual nature of the geometric forms that are a featured part of the front page navigation and the footer hint at a sort of architectural space, but remain ambiguous enough that the user is left to define what their own experience will be.

Geometric forms on front page and footer